Call for Papers
International Congress of History of Science and Technology
Budapest, Hungary, July 28-August 2, 2009.
New perspectives on the rise of climate science
Conveners:
Matthias Heymann <matthias.heymann@ivs.au.dk>
Robert Marc Friedman <robert.friedman@iakh.uio.no
Climate science is an international, multi-disciplinary enterprise. Although consisting of a wide range of research fields that differ greatly in strategies and methods, cultures and traditions, values and norms as well as institutional settings and political alignments, climate science nevertheless appears to provide its patrons with a coherent synthesis of knowledge. At the close of the 20 th century climate science had become a well-funded and influential "big science," able to attract enormous attention and considerable recognition for its achievements.
The symposium we suggest aims at providing critical perspectives on climate science by looking at aspects of its history that are to a large extent (intentionally or unintentionally) neglected in the general comprehension of this research endeavour. While climate science today is generally perceived as a coherent effort pursuing the common interest of understanding climate change, the various political and military interests as well as institutional and technological forces behind the emergence and shaping of this science tend to be invisible or disguised. What impact on the rise of climate science did scientific, technological or institutional innovations have? To what extent were research efforts shaped by social-economic pressures, or political and military interests?
Climate science at the end of the 20 th century had become a global effort; understanding climate change its primary agenda. Yet, the rise of climate science was based on a variety of local research traditions in different specialized disciplines and geographical settings. How did competition for resources, clients, and prestige influence the re-shaping of disciplinary agendas and boundaries? How has disciplinary authority on matters related to climate been negotiated in various national and international settings? To what extent did the apparent coherence of climate science at the end of the 20 th century emerge at the expense of other disciplinary specializations, research paradigms or local research traditions?
Please email proposed paper title, 250 word abstracts, and short bio to either of the symposium conveners before the announced Congress deadlines.
Congress web site: http://www.conferences.hu/ichs09/
Congress pre-registration: http://www.conferences.hu/ichs09/Intention-form.htm