The mean(ings) and ends of the Life Sciences. Transnational epis-temic networks at the Naples Zoological Station between 1910 and the 1950s

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The Zoological Station in Naples (ZSN), one of the first international research centers, has been celebrated as a major hub of scientific innovation in the last quarter of the XIX Century. Less attention was paid to its history after the death of the founder, Anton Dohrn. This project focusses on the fates of the ZSN as an international research centre in a period (1910-1955) plagued by the rise of nationalisms in Europe. By combining local, national and transnational perspectives, the overarching aim of this project is to highlight and investigate the inextricable relation of scientific change, inter/nationalism, and political/ideological trends. We pursue two objectives: 1. Challenging the narrative of the development of Western biological research in the 20th century, based on capital-intensive, state-led programs and the role of private charities; 2. Investigating the meaning of “internationalism” as a category for the interpretation of science as a cultural practice. The ZSN provides unique opportunities for this, as internationality has always meant more to it than a myth of origin. For almost a century, it has been a central organizational principle, embodied in its “table-system”: the annual rent of space, material and resources to national, regional and academic subjects, and the programmatic renounce to any internal selection process and research program.By focusing on the main contingents of guest researchers (Italian, German, British and US-Americans) and the main national patrons of the institute, we will explore the process of scientific innovation in a novel way, and the co-evolving meanings of “nationalism”, “internationalism”, “public” and “private” in the field of research practice and institutions.The research develops along two connected trails. On the one hand, taking the “research table” as a unit of analysis, we explore the development of national and transnational research networks and epistemic communities with a bottom-up approach, tackling the question of what the use value of this research space was, how it was negotiated and how it changed over time. On the other, we explore the symbolic value of the ZSN as an ideal space, analysing the transnational debate over its actual and prospective role as an international institution in times of dominating nationalisms. By coupling these levels of analysis, we want to get a grip on the relations between two levels (pragmatic and symbolic) of representation of a research space, and on their effects.Methodologically, the first leg of the research will take the move from formal and informal network analysis, and move towards the identification of epistemic communities, national and transnational, their defining focuses, objects and practices. The second leg will center on the then ongoing debate over the institutional nature and belonging of the ZSN, thus exploring different, changing representations of “Science” as the universal endeavor of an international community.