Relocating Modern Science: Circulation and the Construction of Knowledge in South Asia and Europe, 1650-1900 - Softcover

Raj, K.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0230238505 ISBN 13: 9780230238503

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007

Synopsis

Drawing on recent scholarship in the history and sociology of science, as well as in imperial and colonial history, Relocating Modern Science challenges both the belief that modern science was created uniquely in the West and the assumption that it was subsequently diffused, or imposed, elsewhere. Through six chronologically ordered case studies of knowledge construction in botany, cartography, terrestrial surveying, linguistics, scientific education, and colonial administration at key moments in their history, this book demonstrates the crucial importance of intercultural encounter -- here between South Asians and Europeans -- for the emergence of these sciences. It also revisits questions at the heart of research in the social studies of science -- interpersonal trust, replicability, calibration, translation, and the relationship between instruments and embodied skills -- showing the complex nature of their resolution in multicultural, and colonial, contexts. By following practitioners, skills, instruments, and ideas as they moved between continents and communities, this book stresses the crucial role of circulation in the construction and reconfiguration of scientific notions and practices. In addition to engaging with questions central to imperial, colonial, and South Asian history, Relocating Modern Science presents a heuristic model for specialists of other contact zones, periods, and fields of knowledge, as also for transnational and global studies.

About this title

Review

'Each of Raj's episodes is lucidly written, thoughtfully illustrated, and so adroitly contextualized that the book could be recommended to classes introducing students to the topic of 'science and empire' as well as to all scholars interested in how knowledge changes as it travels.' - The British Journal for the History of Science

'Relocating Modern Science is an important and thought-provoking book, which will no doubt encourage others to take a similarly un-blinkered approach to understanding scientific encounters in India. The author has done scholarship a great service by demonstrating the inappropriateness in many instances of conventional categories of analysis.' - Mark Harrison, Metascience 
 
'Well-written, thought-provoking and likely to be of interest to those with more specialist interests in the regions in question as well as to scholars working on particular practices or personnel or on other regions.' - Charles Withers, Journal of Historical Geography 
 
'Relocating Modern Science...makes possibly the clearest statement so far of the thesis that the history of science should be an account of how knowledge was made through interactions and not of how knowledge was transplanted...The friendly style, liberal and effective use of images, an eye for the dramatic moments in narratives, a forceful and convincing argument, and the fascinating case studies (some of which involved considerable detective work in the archives) make this book a rewarding and enjoyable read.' - Tirthankar Roy, Journal of Global History
 
'Relocating Modern Science is a theoretically exciting contribution that deserves to be read very widely. This book is a stimulating read..Raj is a polemicist who is confident enough to critique the work of other scholars, which means that his book is a brave one. Relocating Modern Science is certain to take an important place in the reading lists of scholars and students of science and globalization. It will also set a new and important point of reference for further debate.' - Sujit Sivasundaram, Isis

Book Description

A case-study based challenge to Eurocentric and diffusionist approaches in the history of science

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0230238505
• ISBN 13: 9780230238503
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 298