Shifting perspectives on environmental change: A History of the Earth Sciences in Central Asia and the Caucasus, 1880-2000

2026-07-22

This project investigates the history of Earth sciences in the mountainous regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus, addressing the underexplored contributions of non-Western perspectives to environmental change discourses. By focusing on geologists, glaciologists, and seismologists in these areas during the Tsarist and Soviet periods, the research aims to shift attention from dominant Euro-American narratives to the unique experiences and contributions of local scientists. The study explores four main areas: 1) the management of science in the peripheries; 2) the production of localized knowledge; 3) the environmental and social impacts of resource extraction; and 4) the cultural representation of Earth scientists within Soviet ideology. This multidisciplinary approach integrates environmental history, the history of science, and post-colonial studies, challenging the notion of a uniform Soviet scientific enterprise and highlighting the diversity of environmental knowledge shaped by local contexts. The research employs a combination of archival research, oral history, and qualitative analysis, with four research clusters focused on uranium mining, expeditions in the Pamirs, glacier studies, and seismological research in the Caucasus. The project will produce two PhD dissertations and two habilitation theses. By situating Central Asian and Caucasian scientific contributions within global environmental debates, the project aims to enrich our understanding of human-environment interactions in the context of the Anthropocene.

France

2026-02-01