Here is a forwarded call for papers for a conference in Beijing
in 2005, in case this hasn't been circulated before on Mersenne.
Note the deadline, which is 31 August 2004,

from Viviane Quirke

22nd International Congress of History of Science, Beijing, July
24-30, 2005
International Union of History and Philosophy of Science –
Division History of Science

CALL FOR PAPERS
Symposium
International Networks, Exchange and Circulation of Knowledge
in Life Sciences, 18th to 20th Centuries
Organizers
Prof. Dr. Brigitte HOPPE– Germany, Assoc.Prof. Dr. Sona
STRBANOVA – Czech Republic,
Dr. Nicolas ROBIN – France

Background of the symposium
Knowledge about natural objects and their value for humans, also
empirical results and theories in life sciences have been
transferred from one country to another, from one continent to
another since long. However, the ways, conditions and intensity
of knowledge exchange and appropriation of new knowledge have
varied especially under the influence of changing techniques of
communication during the last centuries. The circulation of
knowledge between adjoining regions or between overseas
countries in the direction of the four cardinal points, has
developed in a cooperative atmosphere but also under
circumstances of strained relations caused by diverse cultures
or different social and political systems. Therefore, obstacles
for scientific exchange and their overcoming should also be
taken into account by history.
Since the late 18th century, life sciences began to evolve as an
international collaborative effort and international enterprise,
whether we speak about genesis of discoveries and research
programs, invention of methods, or evolution of theories. In
this cooperative and competitive process not only life sciences
but also other sciences and humanities have been involved,
including chemistry, physics, philosophy and others. The
exchange and circulation of knowledge and ideas in which
individual scientists, scientific schools and various types of
institutions belonging to different countries and cultures have
participated became key to the development of life sciences.

Goal of the Symposium
The symposium aims at presenting case studies related to the
history of life sciences that would investigate the various
paths of knowledge-transmission, the structures and stakeholders
of international networks, their role in circulating knowledge
between countries, institutions and different cultures, and
trace the ways ideas and knowledge have been spreading and
appropriating across borders and cultures. The role of different
media of transmission from the informal Republic of letters to
the proliferation of journals and the establishment of
scientific congresses may be analyzed. The symposium should
discuss the contribution of international networks to the
development of doctrines, genesis of discoveries, or invention
of methods, and obstacles that had stood in their way.
Furthermore, the possibilities of a better understanding between
diverse civilizations and cultures with the help of exchange of
natural objects and contribution to knowledge of biological
phenomena may be investigated. By this way the symposium will
contribute to the general theme of the Congress Globalization
and Diversity. The proposed time frame is 18th to 20th centuries.

Tentative topics of the symposium
1)      Different types of communication networks and
infrastructures: regional and international, personal and
institutional, informal or officially organized (including
scientific schools, scientific meetings, scientific societies,
etc.).
2)      Institutional bases of transnational networks –
nonscientific or scientific ones (e. g. research institutes or
scientific organizations, research foundations, trade companies
or overseas state institutions during colonialism, international
projects).
3)      Evolution of doctrines, discoveries and research
programs or invention of methods as results of international
cooperation.
4)      Different purposes of transnational networks:
exploration of regions and lands, exploration of wide variety of
special fields (e. g. seawater plants and animals, tropical
diseases, biotechnologies, etc.)
5)      Correspondences as means of networking and scientific
exchange.
6)      Circulation and transfer of knowledge with regard to
language (e. g. the role of translations), historical and social
context.
7)      Study sojourns in foreign countries, faculty and
students exchange as means of transferring scientific methods
and knowledge.
8)      Circulation of empirical knowledge about natural objects
and phenomena as well as medical practices, experimental methods
and the like, from one cultural context to another.
9)      Issues of appropriation, acceptance, adaptation or
refusing of „exported“ and/or „imported“ knowledge including
reception of European scientific theories in non-European
countries (e. g. of the evolution theory).

GENERAL INFORMATION

The length of each paper: 20 minutes plus10 minutes discussion.

Congress languages: English and French.

The potential speakers interested in participating in the
Symposium are requested to send the organizers a one-page
preliminary abstract (via e-mail, telefax or regular mail)  and
his/her correct postal and e-mail-addresses, and telefax-number.
Please feel free to disseminate the Call for Papers to other
prospective participants. Each participant at the Congress can
give only one paper!

Deadline for the preliminary application of a paper to the
organizers: 31th August 2004.
Those colleagues who will send the organizers their abstract
will be notified about the acceptance of their paper by November
1, 2004.

For registration, please, contact:
Congress Website: http://2005bj.ihns.ac.cn
Fax:    *86-10-6401-7637;       E-mail: [log in to unmask]


Addresses of the organizers:

Prof. Dr. Brigitte HOPPE
Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften, Museumsinsel 1
D-80538 Muenchen, Germany
Fax:            0049-89/2180-3162
E-mail:         [log in to unmask]





Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sona STRBANOVA
Research Center for History of Sciences and Humanities
Legerova 61
15521 Prague, Czech Republic
Phone:          00420-221-990-618
Fax:            00420-224-943-057
E-mail:         [log in to unmask]

Dr. Nicolas ROBIN
Present address:
11a, Loeherstrasse
D-63739 Aschaffenburg, Germany
E-mail:  [log in to unmask]