Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM),
University of Manchester, UK
9 February 2018
In recent years a number of scholars from international relations studies and science and technology studies have started to explore the relevance of “science diplomacy” to both international affairs and 20th century scientific collaborations. This attention has seen prominent learned societies such as the Royal Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science involved in the scholarly effort to provide a novel understanding of the science diplomacy phenomenon and its relevance. It is equally true that we know far less on its dimensions and relevance in the history of science, technology and medicine. This workshop aims to start a conversation on key themes and case studies with contribution from a number of scholars elucidating on science diplomacy in the past, present and future.
Each session consists of 20 minutes papers plus a short Q&A session.
12:00 Lunch, Registration, and Introduction (Simone Turchetti)
12:35 Session One: Science Diplomacy and International Organizations
(chaired by Matthew Adamson)
- Gordon Barrett (Faculty of History, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK), ‘From Party to Party-State: The Chinese Communist Party’s Evolving Science Diplomacy at the World Federation of Scientific Workers, 1946-1956.’
- Doubravka Olšáková (Institute for Contemporary History, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague), ‘Science Diplomacy and Dissent Culture in Eastern Europe.’
- Sabine Clarke (Department of History, University of York, UK) ‘Competitive collaboration: how did Britain and America deploy experts in an attempt to shape the post war future of the Caribbean?’
13:55 Session Two: Nuclear Diplomacy
(chaired by Sam Robinson)
- Matthew Adamson (McDaniel College, Budapest Campus, Budapest, Hungary), ‘Uranium, Diplomacy, and Nuclear Reach.’
- Simone Turchetti (CHSTM, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK), ‘Friends in Fission: The Brazilian Atomic Energy Project and Its Backers in North America and Europe, 1950-1975.’
14:50-15:10 Coffee Break
15:10 Session Three: Environmental Diplomacy
(chaired by Doubravka Olšáková)
- Iqra Choudhry (CHSTM, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK), ‘Science Diplomacy and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.’
- Sam Robinson (Department of Sociology, University of York, York, UK), ‘Anticipating Ocean Exploitation and the Law of the Sea (1968-84).’
16:05 Session Four: Science Diplomacy from Past to Present
(chaired by Simone Turchetti)
- Janina Onuki and Amanda Domingues (Institute for International Relations, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil), ‘The Perspectives of Scientific Diplomacy in Brazil: The Case Study of the State of São Paulo.’
- Sara Giorgi (independent researcher, European Medicines Agency, London, UK), ‘Science Diplomacy in the Time of Brexit: Italy-UK Scientific Relations.’
17:00 Concluding Remarks
- Kieron Flanagan (Alliance Manchester Business School – Innovation Management and Policy Division, University of Manchester)
DHST Commission on Science, Technology and Diplomacy 