22nd International Congress of History of Science, Beijing, July 24-30, 2005
International Union of History and Philosophy of Science Ð 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 HOPPEÐ Germany, Assoc.Prof. Dr. Sona STRBANOVA Ð Czech Republic,
Dr. Nicolas ROBIN Ð 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 Ð 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:	2005bj@ihns.ac.cn


Addresses of the organizers:

Prof. Dr. Brigitte HOPPE
Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften, Museumsinsel 1
D-80538 Muenchen, Germany
Fax:		0049-89/2180-3162
E-mail:		B.Hoppe@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

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:		strbanov@vcdv.cas.cz

Dr. Nicolas ROBIN
Present address:
11a, Loeherstrasse
D-63739 Aschaffenburg, Germany
E-mail:	 NRobin@t-online.de

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