Climate theories are often traced back to Antiquity, namely Hippocratic and Aristotelian traditions — perhaps falsely so. Modern meteorological definitions of climate, such as the average weather over a certain period of time, only emerged during the 18th century. They diverged significantly from antique geography. Colonial experiences provided the incentive to re-invent climate. It was also in the 18th century that ideas about climate and its influence on people's bodies and minds were discussed in Paris salons, as well as in the meetings of academic societies in Europe and North America. Moreover, climate became a factor in philosophical discourses about the arts and about law. Climate modification became a matter of debate in and about European colonies. In this seminar we will first study classical texts from the antique tradition that became reference points in later debates. However, our focus will be 18th- and 19th-century discourses on climate and its influence on the "human condition" — their importance in the history of science, philosophy, literature, and the arts, and their role in the history of ideas. Climate theories became an element in 19th-century environmental determinism and, among other things, inspired racist ideas of the other.
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Die verbindlichen Modulbeschreibungen enthalten weitere Informationen, auch zu den "Leistungen" und ihren Anforderungen. Sind mehrere "Leistungsformen" möglich, entscheiden die jeweiligen Lehrenden darüber.
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| Bielefeld Graduate School In History And Sociology / Promotion | Optional Course Programme |
Studienleistung: Presentations of a length of 20-30 minutes/Moderation of a session
Prüfungsleistung: At the end of the semester, you will write a 25-30-page paper on one of the texts we discussed in class or on a theoretical/historical/literary text of your choice.