Jeudi 19 octobre à 17h, salle S001 :

Ali Hatapci  (Université de Bourgogne) : “Geographies of Science in Victorian England: Natural History in the Midlands”

Characterised by a strong amateur tradition, scientific research in nineteenth-century Britain depended largely on voluntary associations. Although London boasted the majority of Britain’s most esteemed scientific institutions, the provinces also cultivated thriving scientific communities. Organising lectures, soirées, establishing museums, and publishing; literary and philosophical, natural history societies and clubs across the country helped shape urban culture, as well as produce new knowledge. This paper will examine the organisation and practice of natural history in the provinces by focusing on the English Midlands. Encompassing twelve historic counties in central England, the Midlands offers a rare chance to study the spatial organisation of science on various scales: town, county, region. By looking into the activities, geographical perceptions, self-assigned duties of the scientific societies, this paper will explore science and sociability in the provinces in the latter half of the century.

Ali Hatapçı is a senior lecturer in British history at Université Bourgogne Europe, with research interests in the history of science, periodicals, and life in the provinces. His publications include articles on English county Floras, the Gardeners’ Chronicle, digital illustration archives, and the popularisation of mycology (to appear).

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