CFP: History of the Life Sciences Since WWII
“The Life Sciences after World War II: Institutional Change and International
Connections”
May 16-17, 2014
University of Pittsburgh
This conference, the second in a series of conferences on
world-historical views of the history of science, addresses the theoretical and
empirical work of researchers in the life sciences, from 1945 to 2000, in the
context of changing scientific institutions, shifting socio-political regimes,
and advancing knowledge. The scope of
life sciences, for our purposes, includes disciplines ranging from medicine and
biology to psychology and public health, and we hope to explore the ramifications
of these disciplines in other fields. For both historians of the life sciences
and world historians, the post-WWII period remains relatively
underexamined. We seek interventions in
interpretation of these fields from scholars based in history, history of
science and medicine, social
sciences and natural sciences. In particular, we are seeking papers
that
address any aspect of the life sciences from a
global/world history perspective.
We have developed an initial conceptualization of some
main processes in scientific research and invite paper proposals that pursue
these issues or, indeed, argue that other processes are of equal
significance. We see the postwar history
of science as a period marked by dramatic advances in knowledge of the life
sciences during a time of increasing international collaboration. At the same time, new research occurred
within a climate fraught with Cold-War enmities and the suspicions brought on
by decolonization. The institutions of scientific research expanded not only
through growing universities but through private corporations and the expansion
of national offices to support and direct research.
Postwar researchers and policy-makers in many situations
emphasized the role of science in efforts to bring about development, of
particular interest because of the centrality of decolonization in postwar
years. Concern with development brought
about expanded international connections which saw knowledge shared and
transferred through such mechanisms as brain drains, professional and
educational exchange programmes, and joint research enterprises. Concurrently, global institutions including
the UN, UNESCO, the WHO, and the World Bank were important actors during this
time period and endeavors such as the International Biology Program and
worldwide disease eradication campaigns broadened the scale of scientific
research. Consequently, the collection of global data demanded new
collaborations among researchers, funding bodies, and scientific organizations.
Key questions of interest include:
- How did
these processes affect the development of the life
sciences?
- In what
way did new international institutions shape
scientific
development?
- What did
the impact of these large global institutions look
like
on the ground?
- How did
the science policies of nation-states play out in the
global arena?
- To what
extent were local scientific actors impacted by
alterations in the global scientific landscape?
- How did
international commercial forces contribute to these
changes?
- What can
varied disciplinary approaches tell us about the
globalization of science in the post-WWII period?
- What new
insights can world historians obtain from the study
of
recent scientific history?
Beyond these broad questions, comments and suggestions
are welcomed on other aspects of the life sciences after World War II that are
significant to the conference. This
period has received comparatively little attention from both world historians
and historians of the life sciences and our hope is that this meeting will
provide an opportunity to bridge some of the gaps both within and between these
two subdisciplines. We expect to revise
and refine conference priorities in response to such discussion.
Papers will be peer-reviewed and selected on the basis of
individual strength and thematic coherence.
In addition to presentation at the conference, papers will be considered
for inclusion in a conference volume to be published by the University of
Pittsburgh Press (the conference and publication are supported by a grant from
the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to the University of Pittsburgh). Papers not included in the volume may feature
in a special issue on international connections in the life sciences in a
journal dedicated to global history.
Proposals (ranging from 500 to 1000 words) should include
some indication of research methods, temporal organization, and reference to
any links between the proposal and the wider global, disciplinary, and
historical questions identified in the Call for Papers. Proposals which incorporate interdisciplinary
approaches are particularly welcomed.
Proposals are due December 1, 2013 and should be sent to matsavelli@gmail.com. Those accepted will be notified by January 20,
2014. The
conference will be held at the University of Pittsburgh and
we
have secured funding to assist with travel and
accommodation expenses.
For more information, see http://www.worldhistory.pitt.edu/
Patrick Manning
Andrew W. Mellon Professor of World History and Director
of the World History Center, University of Pittsburgh
Mat Savelli
Postdoctoral Fellow in the World History of Science,
University of Pittsburgh