Borders and the Transfer of Knowledge

Transfer is a cornerstone of the knowledge society: the exchange of learning, news, expertise, innovations has become a key to progress and reputation. Transfer crosses borders between places and cultures and at the same time creates borders between those in the know and those excluded. Borders in the early modern period were not the national, economic, and societal of today. The members of this working group investigate various instances of the dynamics of knowledge transfer and the interactions between different societal and cultural domains. They are particularly interested in the rules and regulations that emerged in the interactions between actors and institutions to facilitate transfers and demarcate membership.

This seminar has two components. First Fokko Jan Dijksterhuis will give a brief presentation about the work in progress and the way of work of the group. Then Hal Cook will present his contribution to the project on reliable reports from distant places (see the draft paper). This leaves ample room for discussion where you are invited to critically respond to the general ideas and the concrete histories about knowledge transfer developed in the project.

Descartes Theme Group

This Theme Group is part of a collaboration between NIAS, the Descartes Centre for the History and Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities (Utrecht University), the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (Berlin) and the Huygens ING (The Hague). Read more about the global knowledge society project