070175 SE Research Seminar - Early Modern Resource Cultures (2024W)

Resource cultures in the early modern period (ca. 1450-1850 CE) are framed as both origin and potential remedy of today’s environmental crisis. Some scholars argue that ideas developed and systems built in the preceding four hundred years are the root causes of today’s socially and ecologically unsustainable economic policies. Others approach the early modern period as a cultural reservoir that may hold solutions for the current crisis: sustainable lifestyles now lost that could, if recuperated, help imagine alternative pathways for humanity.

In this research-intensive class, students engage in recent scholarly debates around the concept of resources and develop their projects on early modern resource cultures. They will learn and improve their skills in analysing textual, visual, and object sources. In particular, students will learn two ways of organising research projects on early modern resource cultures: focusing on place-bound material processes (like mining, forestry, or agriculture) or circulating concepts (such as growth, sustainability, and scarcity).

The first part of the class proceeds from the joint discussion of literature to self-directed reading around a topic of one’s choice and writing a book review or literature survey. The second part features workshops on analysing early modern source material, setting up a research project, and proposal writing. The third part will consist of workshopping outlines and 3-page and 6-page drafts of the final essay. Final essays are due on March 1, 2025.

Basic research skills in non-modern history (or enthusiasm to acquire them!) are required to excel in this class. The class will be taught in English. Additional language skills for reading sources and literature will be useful.