Worlds of Natural History

Explores the development of natural history since the Renaissance and contextualizes current discussions of biodiversity.

Helen Anne Curry (Edited by), Nicholas Jardine (Edited by), James Andrew Secord (Edited by), Emma C. Spary (Edited by)

9781316510315, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 November 2018

682 pages, 130 b/w illus. 16 colour illus. 1 table
25.3 x 19.3 x 3.5 cm, 1.66 kg

'… the essays collected here bring us closer to an understanding of how historians of science gain insights through trying to expand their perspectives, and search for continuities between the past and the present. This volume should become essential reading for both historians of science and all scholars keen to keep abreast of general historical debates about the environment, technology, globalisation, empire and exchange.' Sooyoung An, East Asian Science, Technology, and Medicine

From Aztec accounts of hibernating hummingbirds to contemporary television spectaculars, human encounters with nature have long sparked wonder, curiosity and delight. Written by leading scholars, this richly illustrated volume offers a lively introduction to the history of natural history, from the sixteenth century to the present day. Covering an extraordinary range of topics, from curiosity cabinets and travelling menageries to modern seed banks and radio-tracked wildlife, this volume draws together the work of historians of science, of environment and of art, museum curators and literary scholars. The essays are framed by an introduction charting recent trends in the field and an epilogue outlining the prospects for the future. Accessible to newcomers and established specialists alike, Worlds of Natural History provides a much-needed perspective on current discussions of biodiversity and an enticing overview of an increasingly vital aspect of human history.

Introduction: worlds of history Nicholas Jardine and Emma Spary
Part I. Early Modern Ventures: 1. Visions of ancient natural history Brian W. Ogilvie
2. Gessner's history of nature Sachiko Kusukawa
3. Natural history in the apothecary's shop Valentina Pugliano
4. Horticultural networking and sociable citation Leah Knight
5. European exchanges and communities Florike Egmond
6. Making monsters Natalie Lawrence
7. Indigenous naturalists Iris Montero Sobrevilla
8. Insects, philosophy and the microscope Eric Jorink
Part II. Enlightened Orders: 9. The materials of natural history Paula Findlen and Anna Toledano
10. Experimental natural history Mary Terrall
11. Spatial arrangement and systematic order Robert Felfe
12. Linnaean paper tools Staffan Müller-Wille
13. Image and nature Kärin Nickelsen
14. Botanical conquistadors Daniela Bleichmar
15. Bird sellers and animal merchants Christopher Plumb
16. Vegetable empire Miles Ogborn
Part III. Publics and Empires: 17. Containers and collections Anne Secord
18. Natural history and the scientific voyage Katharine Anderson
19. Humboldt's exploration at a distance Sandra Rebok
20. Publics and practices Lynn K. Nyhart
21. Museum nature Samuel J. M. M. Alberti
22. Peopling natural history Sadiah Qureshi
23. The oils of empire Sujit Sivasundaram
Part IV. Connecting and Conserving: 24. Global geology and the tectonics of empire James A. Secord
25. Zoological gardens Mitchell G. Ash
26. Provincializing global botany Jung Lee
27. Descriptive and prescriptive taxonomies Jim Endersby
28. Imperiled crops and endangered flowers Helen Anne Curry
29. Networks of natural history in Latin America Regina Horta Duarte
30. The unnatural history of postwar human biology Joanna Radin
31. Fieldwork out of place Etienne Benson
32. Wild visions Morgan Richards
Epilogue: natural history and its histories in the twenty-first century Helen Anne Curry and James A. Secord.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX]