885 - Latin american science in the xix century and the first half of the xx century: conservatives, liberals, positivists and....politicians

16.07.2012 | 17:30 - 19:30
17.07.2012 | 17:30 - 19:30

Coordenator 1: Priego, Natalia (University of Liverpool , Liverpool, United Kingdom/Ver Königr)

On the anniversaries of Latin American Independence it is customary to re-visit political and social history in the conventional way. However, science also had a role in the cnstruction of the national identities of the new born countries of the region. Local intellectual elites were interested in adopting and adapting the idelogies and knowledge arriving from Europe, and science was shaped by these ifferent frameworks. However, thes eideas did not encounter empty scenery whren they reached Latin America. They were adapted to local conditions and later emerged as national idelogies which defined the current scientific situation and the rhythm of development of Latin American countries. Terms such as modernity, progress, etc. became the leading ideas for the groups in power and their different policies for the construction of their particular concepts of science and development. This sympsium will analyse these different ideologies, the routes of arrival (which were sometimes indirect) and the different interpretations of the process established by later generations of historians on both sides of the Atlantic. For practical purposes, papers in English or Spanish will be especially welcomre

Palavras-chaves: Mexico/science, Mexico//Latin America, positivismo, latin America