THE SCIENCE AND EMPIRE NETWORK

During the last decade several aspects related to the "science, technology,
and colonization" theme have attracted the attention of many scholars
throughout the world. A number of articles and several books have appeared.
In early 1985 scholars from REHSEIS (Paris) and scholars from the National
Institute of Science, Technology, and Development Studies (NISTADS, New
Delhi) were drawn closer together at a seminar entitled Science & Empire,
organized by NISTADS in New Delhi. Professor R. Rashed of REHSEIS and A.
Rahman of NISTADS agreed to initiate a small network on this theme.

By Deepak Kumar

Interest in this area continued to grow and some international meetings
were organized, for example, the "Indo-Australian Seminar on Science,
Technology, and Colonisation", in May 1988, New Delhi. Later on on a larger
scale and supported by this previous network, an international colloquium
Science and Empires was organized by REHSEIS in Paris, April 1990. At this
conference, it was decided to set up formally a Network of scholars
interested in this area, launching a Newsletter for this purpose.
As institutions, NISTADS and REHSEIS agreed to share a provisional
responsibility to co-ordinate the Network and to launch the Newsletter.

THE MAIN AIMS OF THIS NETWORK ARE:
1. To introduce the scholars working in this area, their interests, and
contribution.
2. To bring together studies being carried out in different countries,
particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin-America, with a view to drawing an
overall picture and to make comparative studies.
3. To identify major problems and questions, and to focus the  attention of
scholars on these.
4. To promote such studies at the national and international level through
research projects and seminars.
5. To seek collaboration with the International Union of Philosophy and
History of Science (IUHPS), International Committee for the History of
Technology (ICOHTEC), UNESCO, etc.

THE NEWSLETTER
The Newsletter is published biannually (October and March) under the joint
auspices of NISTADS and REHSEIS and mailed free of charge to interested
scholars. The Newsletter is the main vehicle for the Science and Empire
Network and contains:
1. Details of the research projects being pursued in different
universities/institutions on this theme
2. Details on PhD theses, recently completed or in progress.
3. Summary of seminars and conferences related to this theme.
4. Announcements of forthcoming meetings and seminars.
5. References/reviews notes on publication of research papers and
monographs.

ZARAGOSA MEETING
The first fully-fledged meeting of the Science and Empire Network was held
at Zaragoza on August 26, 1993, availing itself of the opportunity offered
by the XIX International Congress of History of Science (ICHS). About forty
scholars attended this meeting. For general information and for an
evaluation of what has been done since the beginning, it was decided that
the Network will try to become an official section of the International
Union for the History Philosophy of Science (IUHPS), and for the XX ICHS to
be held in Belgium in 1997, two sessions may be organized on "New Functions
of Imperialism and Science in the Belgium Empire". Relevant suggestions are
welcome.  It was also felt that the book review section of the Newsletter
should be strengthened and that one general review about one country
detailing what is happening in Science and Empire studies should be
provided. To achieve this, a group of correspondents was set up. Its
members are: Ligia Parra Esteban (Colombia), Silvia Figueiroa (Brazil),
David Wade Chambers (Australia), and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (Turkey).
At the Zaragoza Conference about 80 papers relevant to the Science and
Empire theme were presented and these were listed in the October 1993 issue
of our Newsletter. The last meeting of the Network was held at a
UNESCO/ORSTOM Conference on "20th Century Science: beyond the Metropolis",
held in Paris on 19-22 September 1994.

The Network is gradually growing and the Newsletter is being mailed free of
charge to over 500 interested scholars throughout the world. Contributions
in terms of book notices/reviews, survey papers, reports on
seminars/conferences held or to be held, and information on initiation or
completion of a relevant project, are earnestly solicited. 

THE CONTACT ADDRESSES ARE:

Deepak Kumar
NISTADS
Hillside Road
New Delhi 110012
India
Fax: 91-11-5754640

Patrick Petitjean
REHSEIS
27 Rue Damesme
75013, Paris
France
Fax: 33-1-45807847