Decolonising the botanic garden: the 20th century journey from colonial assemblages to sites of memory and global plant conservation

从欧洲医学和精英声望的根源出发，植物园（bg）作为强大的殖民地集合输出。到1902年，大英帝国和英国拥有世界上45%的生物保护区，其中以邱园为中心。70年后，生物保护区成为牙买加等新独立国家的旧殖民象征，而邱园则转向保护。对殖民地BG和Kew的研究集中在c18 - c19（例如Endersby 2008， Drayton 2000, McCracken 1997），不包括c20，而与Kew档案馆的距离限制了牙买加BG的研究。这个20世纪的BGs之旅从殖民集合到记忆和全球植物保护地点是一个关键的研究空白。20世纪牙买加和邱园的BGs的多声音历史，文化景观和社会价值的研究在当前的历史时刻纠缠在一起，要求参与非殖民化话语，重新振兴20世纪后期的后殖民工作。该项目还以加勒比地区的赔偿谈判和牙买加BG场地的重建压力为背景，而BLM和Covid加剧了这一压力。非殖民化需要一种个人反思的方法，这种方法使学术研究人员在这种情况下也是一名执业的遗产专业人员。我使用自我民族志定性研究工具来记录研究过程的迭代展开和关系的共同发展，优先考虑问责制、背景、真实性和社区（Gonzalez 2003）；突出主体性，暴露当代欧洲中心主义（Pathak 2010）。这些工具使我能够评估和发展英国考古，遗产和bg的非殖民化实践；在我跨越两个世界的生活经验中，探索非殖民化的学术研究如何为国际专业遗产实践提供信息，反之亦然。在我的博士（兼职）的第一个学期，我已经接触了关键的利益相关者，并确定了研究背景和范围。从一开始就与利益相关者合作，确保对邱园和牙买加bg的研究产生影响，解决他们认为至关重要的差距。在接下来的1-2年里，我将继续建立背景，完善方法，范围资源，并开始在伦敦进行档案和参与者研究；联系邱园的人文中心，采访过去和现在的工作人员。在整个博士学位期间，这项在邱园的工作将继续探讨20世纪邱园与牙买加BG关系的变化，并对邱园的后殖民转向保护有一个广泛的理解。我的工作将涉及一系列第一手资料，从行政和个人档案到文学、媒体和艺术品。在3-4年的牙买加田野调查中，我将在4个BGs中进行档案、参与者和景观研究：以c18 - c19的工作为基础，对c20 - c21牙买加BGs的历史和文化景观产生理解，包括作为独立后的记忆场所（Nesbitt, 2018; Taylor, 2014; Edwards 2014）。我将结合基于桌面和基于场地的景观研究，利用现象学转向中的体现、物质性和争论，对文化景观进行多声音解读。我将使用参与者的研究方法来绘制当前和过去的社会和遗产价值，以及口述历史来记录生活记忆中的变化。5-6年级将专注于数据分析和写作，并定期前往英国皇家植物园完善研究和网络。由于这是一个解决时间紧迫问题的兼职博士学位，我打算在我的进展中发表：提供数据和发现，为牙买加拟议的BG开发提供信息；弥合邱园20世纪前的遗产与其目前的保护作用之间的概念差距，从而支持知情的世界自然保护区管理和科学区发展；参与非殖民化辩论，并为未来的c20 BG研究奠定基础。该项目在设计上是灵活的，因为Covid可以开放和关闭资源。

From their European roots in medicine and elite prestige, botanic gardens (BGs) were exported as powerful colonial assemblages. By 1902, the British Empire and UK held 45% of the world's BGs, centred at Kew. 70 years later, BGs were symbols of old coloniality in newly independent countries, such as Jamaica, whilst Kew was turning to conservation.Research on colonial BGs and Kew concentrates on C18-C19th (eg Endersby 2008, Drayton 2000, McCracken 1997) excluding C20th, whilst distance from the archives at Kew has restricted Jamaican BG research. This C20th journey of BGs from colonial assemblages to sites of memory and global plant conservation is a critical research lacuna.Research on the multivocal histories, cultural landscapes and societal values of BGs in Jamaica and Kew in C20th is entangled in the current historical moment, demanding engagement with decolonisation discourse reinvigorating late C20th postcolonial work. This project is also contextualised by Caribbean reparation negotiations and redevelopment pressures on the Jamaican BG sites, heightened by BLM and Covid. Decolonisation requires a personally reflexive method that situates the academic researcher who, in this instance, is also a practising heritage professional. I use autoethnographic qualitative research tools to document the iterative unfolding of the research process and co-development of relationships, prioritising accountability, context, truthfulness and community (Gonzalez 2003); foregrounding subjectivity and exposing contemporary Eurocentrism (Pathak 2010). These tools enable me to evaluate and develop decolonisation practices in UK archaeology, heritage and BGs; exploring how decolonising academic research can inform international professional heritage practice, and vice versa, in my lived experience straddling both worlds. In the first term of my PhD (part-time) I have engaged key stakeholders and identified research context and scope. Working with stakeholders from the outset ensures research impact for Kew and Jamaican BGs, addressing gaps they identify as critical.For the rest of years 1-2 I shall continue to build context, refine methodology, scope resources and begin archival and participant research in London; connecting with the humanities hub at Kew and interviewing past and current staff. Continuing throughout the PhD, this work at Kew will interrogate changing C20th Kew-Jamaican BG relationships and develop a broad understanding of Kew's postcolonial turn to conservation. I shall work across a range of primary sources, from administrative and personal archives to literature, media and artworks.In Jamaican fieldwork in years 3-4, I shall undertake archival, participant and landscape research in 4 BGs: to generate understanding of the C20-C21st histories and cultural landscapes of Jamaican BGs, including as sites of memory after Independence, building on work on C18-C19th (Nesbitt, 2018; Taylor, 2014; Edwards 2014). I shall combine desk-based and site-based landscape research to develop a multivocal reading of the cultural landscape, drawing on embodiment, materiality and contestation in the current phenomenological turn. I will use participant research methods to map current and past societal and heritage values, alongside oral history to document changes within living memory.Years 5-6 will focus on data analysis and writing, with regular trips to Kew to refine research and network. As this is a part-time PhD addressing time-critical issues I intend to publish as I progress: making data and findings available to inform proposed BG development in Jamaica; to bridge the conceptual gap between Kew's pre-C20th heritage and its current conservation role, so supporting informed WHS management and Scientific Quarter development; to engage with decolonisation debate, and to lay the ground for future C20th BG research.The project is flexible by design, as Covid opens up and closes down resources.