[Athena] Appel à contribution: Exploring Ice and Snow in the Cold War, Munich, 27-29/01/2011

[Sebastian Grevsmuehl <grevsmuehl AT damesme.cnrs.fr>]

CFP: Exploring Ice and Snow in the Cold War

Deadline: 30 August 2010

The scientific exploration of extreme climatic conditions and hostile 
environments flourished during the Cold War. In the course of these 
years of confrontation between East and West, research on ‘the cold’ 
served ambivalent purposes. On the one hand, increasing knowledge about 
extreme climatic conditions seemed to guarantee political power and 
access to future resources. One the other hand, the very nature of the 
earth’s surface and its characteristics challenged dichotomous 
ideologies of 'East' and ‘West’. Events like the International 
Geophysical Year (1957-1958) structured global efforts to investigate 
the world as a whole. Spatial images of the ‘blue planet’ can be seen to
 be a result of the environmental knowledge gained through earth 
sciences. As the earth’s climate influenced many aspects of human life, 
culture, and politics, the scientific perception of ice and snow needed 
to be investigated from different perspectives. Scientific disciplines 
such as meteorology, geophysics, glaciology and oceanography were part 
of the exploration of ice and snow.

This workshop is interested in new research projects at the interface of
 environmental history, military history and the history of science and 
technology to contribute to the discussion on the scientific perception 
and constitution of nature in the Cold War.

Applications for any of the following research areas, but also proposals
 that deal with the workshop’s topic from alternative perspectives, are 
welcome:

Sites of Knowledge
How did military strategy and politics influence concrete research 
projects and how did this knowledge flow back into society? Are there 
typical Cold War sciences dealing with ice and snow and which places, 
sites or laboratories were typical for these endeavours? Which 
infrastructures were required to explore ice and snow and what role did 
technology play in the construction of artificial environments?

Knowledge and ‘the’ Environment – Environmental Knowledge
Did the Cold War foster or inhibit knowledge about the fragility of 
nature, and which scientific disciplines were involved in this process? 
When, where and how were issues of pollution addressed? Did knowledge 
motivated by military and strategic interests also play a part in 
environmental contexts?

Metaphors, visions and narrations
Epistemologically, ice and snow are objects that are shaped through 
different scientific perspectives and cultural narratives. Which 
metaphors, visions and narratives are associated with the scientific 
exploration of extreme climatic conditions during the Cold War?

The workshop “EXPLORING ICE AND SNOW IN THE COLD WAR” is supported by 
the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society in Munich and will 
take place at the Deutsche Museum in Munich from 27th to 29th of January
 2011. Travel and accommodation costs will be met by the organizers. 
Applications must be written in English. Abstracts (500 words) and a 
short CV should be submitted by email no later than August 30th 2010 to 
the following address:


Dr. Christian Kehrt
Helmut-Schmidt-Universität
Neuere Sozial-, Wirtschafts- und Technikgeschichte
Holstenhofweg 85
22043 Hamburg
Phone: 0049 –(0)40-6541-2564
Email: kehrt AT hsu-hh.de


For further information on organizational issues, please contact:

Dr. Franziska Torma
Rachel Carson Center
Leopoldstr. 11a, 4. OG, 416
D-80802 Munich
Phone: +49 (0) 89/ 2180- 72365
Email: franziska.torma AT carsoncenter.lmu.de

Organization: Julia Herzberg, Christian Kehrt, Franziska Torma

The Rachel Carson Center is a joint initiative of LMU Munich and the 
Deutsche Museum supported by the German Ministry for Education and 
Research.

-- 
Sebastian Grevsmühl
Centre Alexandre Koyré (CNRS / EHESS)
27, Rue Damesme
F- 75013 Paris
http://www.koyre.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article206