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DESCRIPTION:Daniela Russ\, \;Assistant Professor\, University of Leipzi
g\, \;TEFE-Fellow\, Remarque Institute for \;European Studies\, NY
UHistory and the social sciences have been plagued by the paradox of treat
ing \;energy as both natural and historical. On the one hand\, followi
ng the natural sciences\, \;they see it as an ahistorical property of
nature that serves as the material basis of human \;societies. On the
other hand\, the formulation of the principle of energy conservation in&nb
sp\;the mid-nineteenth century represented such a break with mechanical or
thodoxy that \;it triggered investigations into the historicity of kno
wledge among natural scientists \;themselves. This has led to another
line of thought that emphasizes the historicity of the \;concept and s
ees energy more as a piece of knowledge or ideology. In both perspectives\
, \;however\, energy remains a thing – in nature or in thought – that
is relatively independent of \;social practice. The paper outlines wha
t a historical materialist approach to the materiality \;of energy mig
ht look like. Drawing on earlier work that conceptualizes energy as a rela
tion \;to nature (Bogdanov) or a social relation (Huber)\, the paper p
roposes to think of energy \;as a historically developed material cond
ition of human life. If this condition is historical\, ie. \;did not d
evelop naturally but against nature\, what does this mean for the writing
of energy \;and environmental history?Dr. Russ is a historical sociolo
gist interested in the relationship between \;nature and society. Her
research focuses on the making of energy resources since the \;19th ce
ntury and the development of energy economies in both capitalist and socia
list \;countries. Her broader interests include economic sociology\, t
he sociology of science and \;technology\, and a critical theory of na
ture.Sponsored by the Geography and the Environment Department.
DTEND:20240418T183000Z
DTSTAMP:20260513T020916Z
DTSTART:20240418T170000Z
LOCATION:
SEQUENCE:0
SUMMARY:Does Energy Have History?
UID:RFCALITEM639142205563586822
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:Daniela Russ\, \;Assistant Profess
or\, University of Leipzig\, \;TEFE-Fellow\, Remarque Institute for&nb
sp\;European Studies\, NYU
History and the social sciences have been plag
ued by the paradox of treating \;energy as both natural and historical
. On the one hand\, following the natural sciences\, \;they see it as
an ahistorical property of nature that serves as the material basis of hum
an \;societies. On the other hand\, the formulation of the principle o
f energy conservation in \;the mid-nineteenth century represented such
a break with mechanical orthodoxy that \;it triggered investigations
into the historicity of knowledge among natural scientists \;themselve
s.
This has led to another line of thought that emphasizes the hist
oricity of the \;concept and sees energy more as a piece of knowledge
or ideology. In both perspectives\, \;however\, energy remains a thing
– in nature or in thought – that is relatively independent of \;socia
l practice. The paper outlines what a historical materialist approach to t
he materiality \;of energy might look like.
Drawing on earlier
work that conceptualizes energy as a relation \;to nature (Bogdanov) o
r a social relation (Huber)\, the paper proposes to think of energy \;
as a historically developed material condition of human life. If this cond
ition is historical\, ie. \;did not develop naturally but against natu
re\, what does this mean for the writing of energy \;and environmental
history?
Dr. Russ is a historical sociologist intereste
d in the relationship between \;nature and society. Her research focuses on the making of ener
gy resources since the \;19th century and the development of energy economies in both c
apitalist and socialist \;countries. Her broader interests include economic sociology\,
the sociology of science and \;technology\, and a critical theory of nature.
Sponsored by the Geo
graphy and the Environment Department.