Doctoral Dissertation Research: Three Case Studies of Natural Disasters

概述此STS博士论文改进补助金支持档案研究，调查发生在荷兰的一系列自然灾害;欧洲历史上最致命的洪水之一（圣诞洪水），牛瘟流行病破坏农业稳定，以及入侵软体动物的到来危及整个荷兰海岸防御系统。迄今为止的历史研究包括个案研究，突出了个别事件对当地和直接的经济影响。这些研究与这些事件没有关系，并对它们在荷兰水利工程和医学发展中的作用提供了有限的评价。因此，这些事件的影响在很大程度上仍然是地方性的，没有得到充分的认识。这项研究将表明，这些灾难具有深刻的经济，文化和环境影响。该奖项将支持两个档案研究访问荷兰收集和分析有关的文件的历史和空间方面的建议，再加上会议旅行的资金，以传播的结果。智力MeritThe拟议的项目认为，这些事件构成了一个独特的灾难时期，在荷兰历史上与荷兰的社会，文化和环境的重大影响。它将这些看似单一的灾害视为协同联系并最终影响荷兰的适应，导致荷兰对水防御的大规模重新设计和对抗疾病的新方法。本研究以历史灾害研究，气候变化研究和欧洲历史地理学的方法为基础;研究人员接受过环境史培训，并有教授全球环境研究的经验。最后的产品将认为，这些灾难促使荷兰的自然环境，理解风险和灾难的文化基础，以及科学和技术在荷兰社会的位置重新排序。更广泛的影响通过解决风险的文化建设和工程创新的社会历史因素等问题，该项目可能在风险和危害研究以及科学和技术史方面具有更广泛的意义;它可能提供与当前自然灾害讨论相关的信息。此外，该项目将提供国际教育的机会，并展示跨文化理解的价值，也许最终会在荷兰和美国学者之间建立伙伴关系。气候变化的社会文化经验在全球范围内是可变的，这可能会导致两国学生之间进行有趣和富有启发性的讨论。尽管洪水、入侵物种和疾病在这两个地区都很常见，但它们对文化的影响却截然不同，并产生了不同的反应。弥合环境意识方面的这一差距是本提案的目标之一。

OverviewThis STS Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant supports archival research to investigate a series of natural disasters that occurred in the Netherlands; one the deadliest floods in European history (the Christmas Flood), rinderpest epidemics that destabilized agriculture, and the arrival of invasive mollusks that jeopardized the entire Dutch coastal defense system. Historical studies thus far consist of case studies highlighting the local and immediate economic effects of individual events. These studies posit no relational connections to these events and offer limited evaluations of their role in the development of Dutch hydro-engineering and medicine. As a result, the impact of these events remains largely provincial and under appreciated. This study will show that these disasters had profound economic, cultural, and environmental implications. The award will support two archival research trips to the Netherlands for collection and analysis of documents pertaining to the historical and spatial dimensions of the proposal plus funding for conference travel to disseminate the results.Intellectual MeritThe proposed project contends that these events constituted a unique disaster period in Dutch history with significant implications for Dutch society, culture, and environment. It conceives of these seemingly singular disasters as a synergistically connected and ultimately affecting Dutch adaptation resulting in a massive redesign of Dutch water defense and new methods of combating disease. This study is grounded in the methods of historical disaster studies, climate change research, and European historical geography; the researcher has training in environmental history and experience teaching global environmental studies. The final product will argue that these disasters prompted a reordering of the Dutch physical environment, the cultural rationale for understanding risk and calamity, and the place of science and technology in Dutch society. Broader ImpactsBy tackling issues like the cultural construction of risk and the socio-historical elements of innovation in engineering, the project may have broader significance in risk and hazard research and the history of science and technology; it may provide information relevant to discussions of current natural disasters. In addition, the project will provide opportunities for international education and show the value of cross-cultural understanding, perhaps culminating in a partnership between Dutch and American scholars. The socio-cultural experience of climate change is globally variable which could lead to interesting and provocative discussions between students in the two countries. Whereas flooding, invasive species, and disease are common to both areas, they have very different impacts on culture and engender different responses. Bridging this gap in environmental awareness is one goal of this proposal.