Exploring Ice and Snow in the Cold War
Workshop
27.01.2011 – 29.01.2011
Location: Kerschensteiner Kolleg, Deutsches Museum, Munich
Conveners: Julia Herzberg (RCC), Christian Kehrt (RCC), Franziska Torma (RCC)
Program – English (pdf, 17 KB)
Conference Report – English (pdf, 189 KB)
This workshop is interested in new research projects at the interface of environmental history, military history, and the history of science and technology to contribute to the discussion on the scientific perception and constitution of nature in the Cold War.
The conference will focus on the following areas:
- Sites of Knowledge
How did military strategy and politics influence concrete research projects and how did this knowledge flow back into society? Are there typical Cold War sciences dealing with ice and snow, and which places, sites, or laboratories were typical for these endeavors? Which infrastructures were required to explore ice and snow and what role did technology play in the construction of artificial environments? - Knowledge and "the" Environment—Environmental Knowledge
Did the Cold War foster or inhibit knowledge about the fragility of nature, and which scientific disciplines were involved in this process? When, where, and how were issues of pollution addressed? Did knowledge motivated by military and strategic interests also play a part in environmental contexts? - Metaphors, Visions, and Narrations
Epistemologically, ice and snow are objects that are shaped through different scientific perspectives and cultural narratives. Which metaphors, visions, and narratives are associated with the scientific exploration of extreme climatic conditions during the Cold War?