Exploring the Historical Roots of Ecological Challenges: Insights from the 2024 Medieval and Early Modern Studies Spring School

What are the historical backgrounds of ecological challenges? That was the question at the heart of the Summer School: ' Medieval and Early Modern Studies Spring School 2024.

Participant Estel van den Berg shares an overview of the program.

Day 1: Unveiling Ghent’s Agricultural Legacy

On May 27th, participants gathered at the STAM museum in Ghent for the exhibition Ghent’s Lands, which traced the history of the city’s agricultural lands from the 12th century to today. This exhibition, focusing on the evolving relationship between institutions managing these lands and the farmers working them, set the stage for a week of interdisciplinary exploration into Landscape History and Ecology.

The exhibition concluded with poignant video testimonials from farmers facing the challenges of modern agricultural land sales, raising questions about the future role of these lands in addressing climate change. The day's activities continued with a bike tour of Ghent’s farmlands, highlighting eco-friendly initiatives and historical land use practices.

Day 2: Waterways and Cartographic Insights

Held at the picturesque Het Rustpunt, the second day began with a lecture by Prof. Tim Soens from the University of Antwerp. He explored the historical relationship between humans and rivers, advocating for strategies that reconnect humans with waterways, challenging the historical notion of rivers as adversaries.

In the afternoon, Prof. Iason Jongepier led a workshop on cartography using QGIS, enabling participants to visualize landscape changes over time. The day concluded with presentations from several researchers, offering innovative perspectives on historical landscapes through digital and ecological lenses.

Day 3: A Journey through the Zwin Region

Participants visited the Zwin Nature Park, where Prof. Wim De Clercq discussed the region's late-medieval maritime cultural landscape. Research pitches followed, including Joris Kingma’s analysis of sea dyke construction and Pieter-Jan Reynaert’s exploration of landscape drainage in Flanders. The afternoon session at Axel’s Warenhuis museum focused on landscape representation in Dutch country houses, with presentations tying cultural and landscape history together.

Day 4: Nature Writing and Early Modern Print Culture

Dr. Femke Kramer led a workshop on nature writing, encouraging participants to connect deeply with their environments through vivid, precise language.

The afternoon featured a lecture by Dr. Joana van de Löcht on early modern representations of nature, using rare books to illustrate changing attitudes towards the natural world.

Day 5: Colonial Ecology and the Classification of Animals

The final day began with Dr. Marrigje Paijmans’ lecture on the ecological and economic interactions in colonial Surinam, followed by Thijs Lambrecht’s exploration of how economic shifts influence human-animal relationships.

The day wrapped up with research pitches addressing topics from ecotourism in South Africa to the representation of colonial landscapes in early modern literature.

Conclusion

The 2024 Spring School offered a vibrant platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on historical and contemporary ecological challenges. Participants engaged in lively discussions, exchanging feedback and forging connections across diverse scholarly fields. This enriching experience was made possible by the collaborative efforts of various academic institutions and support from partners in Flanders and the Netherlands.