Dear colleagues,
The Working Party (WP) on History of Chemistry of the European Association
for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) will hold its bi-annual
History of Chemistry Conference in Leuven (Belgium) between 28 August and 1
September 2007. The main topic will be Neighbours and Territories: The
Evolving Identity of Chemistry. The conference will mainly focus on the
disciplinary identity of chemistry and the changing relationships with
other fields. A major aim of the conferences organised by the WP is to
facilitate communication between historically interested chemists and
historians of chemistry from all over Europe. More details are provided in
the first circular (see below) and the website
<<http://www.6ichc.be/>http://www.6ichc.be/>. You are kindly invited to
contribute to the conference by presenting a paper or suggesting a special
session.
With my best wishes,
José Ramón Bertomeu-Sánchez
Chairman of the Scientific Committee
PD: My apologies for cross-posting.
****
6th International Conference on the History of Chemistry
Neighbours and territories
The evolving identity of Chemistry
Leuven BELGIUM
28 August - 1 September 2007
First Circular
http://www.6ICHC.be
Introduction
The Working Party (WP) on History of Chemistry of the European Association
for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) will hold its bi-annual
History of Chemistry Conference in Leuven between 28 August and 1 September
2007. The conference will mainly focus on the disciplinary identity of
chemistry and the changing relationships with other fields. A major aim of
the conferences organised by the WP is to facilitate communication between
historically interested chemists and historians of chemistry from all over
Europe. Previous conferences organised by the Working Party were held in
Budapest in September 2003 (Communication in chemistry in Europe) and
Lisbon in September 2005 (Chemistry, Technology and Society).
MAIN TOPIC
NEIGHBOURS AND TERRITORIES: THE EVOLVING IDENTITY OF CHEMISTRY
Throughout its history, chemistry has been shifting ground between
different territories. From its roots in artisan technology, pharmaceutical
workshops and alchemical philosophy, it developed into the archetypical
laboratory science of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, claiming full
academic status. Chemists invaded many new fields, from agriculture and
industry, to medicine, public hygiene and pharmacology. In the twentieth
century, chemistry contributed to the major developments in molecular
biology, quantum mechanics, environmental science and nanotechnology. But
it also gained a key position in the oil industry, the fabrication of
plastics and pharmaceutical research. This broad and continuous adaptation
of the discipline to various fields of expertise, has brought chemistry in
close contact with neighbouring disciplines and social pressures. Time and
again, chemists have needed to carve out their territory, to negotiate with
other specialists, and to claim particular expertise in widely diverging
fields. The conference aims at a better understanding of the territories
claimed by chemistry and its shifting boundaries with other disciplines.
Plenary lectures on aspects of the conference theme will be given by
Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent (Université Paris IX - Nanterre), Ernst Homburg
(Universiteit Maastricht), Lawrence Principe (Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore) and Ana Simőes (Universidade de Lisboa).
TOPICS AND SUBTOPICS
(1) Territories - Building a disciplinary identity-
a. Making a base for chemistry: making institutions for chemistry: the
emergence of teaching and research institutions, societies, chemical
journals, etc.,
b. Making pedagogy: Teaching practices and textbooks,
laboratory teaching, seminars, moral economies of chemistry, disciplining
bodies and minds, pedagogical tools and models (such as Lewis diagrams, 3-D
models, etc.), making standard problems, making a collective memory,
commemorative practices, history in chemistry classrooms
c. Making connections: travels of learning, correspondence,
chemical literature, chemistry as a communicative practice, circulating
chemical knowledge
d. Making standards: Creating standard paper tools and
laboratory practices, standardizing the language (terminological reforms,
chemical terminology and symbols) creating international units, stabilizing
instruments, experts practices, etc.
(2) Neighbours and borders Crossing, merging and negotiating
disciplinary borders.
a. Making the borders: chemistry and its changing relationships with
other disciplines (experimental physics, medicine, pharmacy, technology,
mineralogy, metallurgy, etc.), boundary objects, landscapes and labscapes,
trading zones, etc.
b. Crossing and negotiating new borders: Early-modern
chemistry and pharmacy, medicine, metallurgy, mineralogy, experimental
physics. Nineteenth and twentieth century specialities and sub-disciplines:
biochemistry, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry,
etc.
c. Negotiating new identities: Past & Present: (I) Past:
Alchemy, chymistry, chemistry and the artificial reproduction of nature
d. Negotiating new identities: Past & Present: (II) Present:
Twentieth century chemistry: "Redissolving back to the origins" /
Chemistry: a temporary union
The final shape of the sessions will largely depend on the submitted
papers. Specific sessions (chairman + 3 /4 papers) on topics related to the
meeting main theme can be suggested to the programme committee
([log in to unmask]). Both paper and poster sessions are planned.
Submitted abstracts will be evaluated simultaneously for both kinds of
sessions.
Scientific Committee
Marco BERETTA, Universitŕ di Bologna, Italy.
José Ramón BERTOMEU-SÁNCHEZ, Universitat de Valčncia, Spain (chair).
Ana CARNEIRO, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.
Ursula KLEIN, Max Planck Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Berlin, Germany.
Laurence LESTEL, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France.
Anders LUNDGREN, Uppsala Universitet, Sweden.
Peter MORRIS, Science Museum, London.
Carsten REINHARDT, Universität Regensburg, Germany.
Sona STRBÁNOVÁ, Ústav pro soudobé dějiny, Akademie věd České republiky,
Prague, Czech Republic.
Brigitte Van TIGGELEN, Université catholique de Louvain, Mémosciences asbl.
Local Commitee
Kenneth BERTRAMS, Université Libre de Bruxelles, B.
Hendrik DEELSTRA, Universiteit Antwerpen, B (honorary chairman).
Ernst HOMBURG, Universiteit Maastricht, NL.
Adriaan MINDERHOUD, Chemiehistorische Groep KNCV, NL.
Geert VANPAEMEL, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B.
Brigitte Van TIGGELEN, Université catholique de Louvain, Mémosciences asbl,
B (chairwoman).
PRACTICAL INFORMATION: PLACE, DATES, INSCRIPTIONS, ETC.
Ř Location
The meeting will take place in the charming small town of Leuven
(population 80,000) which is an interesting historical site in Belgium. As
the former medieval capital of the region and the location of the oldest
university of the Low Countries (founded in 1425), it has preserved many
monuments and buildings from the fifteenth century. Leuven is now a main
centre for high tech industrial research (e.g. IMEC for micro-electronics)
and harbours one of the most important brewery industries of the world
Leuven is situated at about 30 km from Brussels and is easily accessible by
train. Brussels airport is only 20 minutes away by car and even less by
train (15 minutes).
Further information can be found at www.kuleuven.be or www.leuven.be.
Ř Dates
Tuesday 28/08/07 Sa 01/09/07
Ř Conference fees
Before May 15th 2007 After May 15th 2007
Conference fees 135 € 170 €
Accompanying person 115€ 150 €
Conference Dinner 50 € 50 €
Conference fees include:
- registration and conference documents
- coffee breaks
- lunches
- welcome party
- guided tour through the city of Leuven
Fees for accompanying person include:
- lunches
- welcome party
- guided tour of the city of Leuven
Information on the excursion for the Saturday will be provided in the next
circular (place and price).
For a limited number of students and scholars lower fees are available.
Application forms (available on the conference website) should be send to
the Local Committee, Brigitte Van Tiggelen (see email address below).
Ř Accommodation
Leuven offers a number of hotels in different price categories. It is
possible to find single rooms for less than ¬100.00. Actual prices range
from ¬35.00 to ¬200.00 depending on the number of stars and level of
comfort. Some student rooms (¬17.00 to ¬20.00 at the time being) are also
available but have to be booked well ahead since August and beginning of
September are tourist season months. Additional information will be
provided in the second circular.
Ř Website
http://www.6ICHC.be
Ř Contact
(a) For questions concerning the Programme:
Dr. José Ramón Bertomeu-Sánchez, the Chairman of the International
Programme Committee, at [log in to unmask]
(b) For question concerning the Local arrangements:
Dr. Brigitte Van Tiggelen [log in to unmask]
Dr. Geert Vanpaemel: [log in to unmask]
DEADLINES
Scholars who want to present a 20 minutes paper at the conference are
invited to submit a one-page abstract to the Programme Committee before 1
February 2007. The instructions to authors will be available at:
http://www.6ICHC.be
To submit your abstract, as well as for questions concerning the scientific
programme, please contact José Ramón Bertomeu-Sánchez, the Chairman of the
International Programme Committee, at [log in to unmask]
The members of the International Programme Committee will referee all
abstracts, and authors will be informed about acceptance or rejection
before 15 April 2007.
