Coordinator

Research description

The climate is at the heart of current worries and fears, political negotiations and civic activism. It connects global developments to local activities and fundamentally questions the traditional divide between humans and nature. The urgency of the issue calls for a ‘history of the present’, in which historians contribute to current challenges by developing a historical perspective.

How can we understand the climate crisis from a historical perspective? The research group charts which developments culminate to cause the current crisis. Changes in our environment, manufacturing techniques, lifestyles and patterns of consumption, political decision-making, as well as fundamental views on the relation between humans and nature, actors and objects, the short and the long-term. This creates a rich historical understanding of relevant developments, proposed alternatives, obstacles and opportunities in facing the climate emergency.

The research group focuses on three dimensions: the intellectual history of the environment and the climate, social contestation around environmental issues, and global governance. It serves as a platform to connect ongoing research by several ASH-members and relevant research carried out in other departments. It hosts regular meetings to discuss work in progress and plans for new projects and facilitates lectures by scholars from other institutions. MA-students are welcome to participate in the activities of the research group.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, the group will focus on the following themes:

• The environmental history of the city and the countryside
• Changing business for good: How activists change companies
• Climate policy and emotions
• Historical perspectives on gas exploitation
• Histories of time & the environment

Activities

The research group hosts a monthly informal lunch meeting to discuss research, relevant publications, and research proposals. It connects ASH-members with an interest in this field to researchers from other faculties working on similar issues. The cooperation with other departments is crucial in developing multidisciplinary research alliances which will be able to respond to funding opportunities (i.e. Nationale Wetenschapsagenda, NERA, NWO, ERC). The group also contributes to connecting and developing education on the environment and sustainability at the Faculty of Humanities.

Societal Impact

The research group hosts a BA-level course on ‘The climate emergency: the history of a crisis’ as an elective open to students from all faculties. Active participation of MA-students in the activities of the group is encouraged. It also cooperates with the UvA Green Office and participates in multidisciplinary meetings of the Institute for Advanced Study.

Tot op de Bodem

Blog about the Groningen gas extraction by members of the research group

Members

Jesse van Amelsvoort
Mathijs Boom
Laura Burgers
Fabio de Castro
Mano Delea
Jeff Diamanti
Annet Dekker
Ruud van Dijk
Maartje van Gelder
John Grin (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences)
Mark Heerink
Elon Heijmans
Barbara Hoogenboom
Lisa Kattenberg
Djoeke van Netten
Niek Pas
Esther Peeren
Gerrit Schaafsma
Daniëlle Slootjes
Colin Sterling
Andrew Telford
Jouke Turpijn
Maroesjka Verhagen
Tim Verlaan
Gerard Wiegers