CfP: The Language of Nature, Society for the History of Natural History Summer Meeting
This one-day international meeting will explore the language of nature in its broadest sense. Over centuries, different formats and mediums, stylistic approaches and classification systems have been used to describe and represent the natural world. These ‘languages’ influence how we conceive of nature, how we categorise it, how we wonder at it and who we credit with its ‘discovery’. This conference aims to bring new perspectives to the history of natural history writing and other expressions of nature, exploring not only the creativity and originality involved but also the limitations and biases that shape our understanding of the natural world and how it has been perceived throughout history.
We welcome papers that explore (but are not restricted to) the following topics and their relation to the role of language in natural history:
- The history of taxonomic language
- Systems of classification
- Indigenous voices
- Translation
- Production of natural history texts and/or collections
- Accounts of voyages and expeditions
- Journals, field guides and correspondence
- Animal/vegetable/and human “languages” by or about nature
- Display and representation
- Collaboration and contribution
Abstracts for 20-minute papers should be submitted to Dr Elle Larsson, Meetings Secretary at: meetings@shnh.org.uk. Please include a title, an abstract (up to 250 words) and a speaker biography (up to 100 words).
The deadline for submission is 17 March 2023.
Successful papers will be selected to cover a range of topics and on the basis of their appropriateness and relevance to the theme of the meeting.
Information about bursaries for those with insufficient means to present at the meeting and registration will be available soon.
For those able to stay in Birmingham an extra night, we hope to be able to offer a number of tours on the 14 June 2023. Details will be confirmed in due course.