AAEH Newsletter 2024
[14 July 2024]
Dear participants of the past EAEH conferences, dear new members of the AAEH (in Bcc),
The first of the biennial conferences of the Asian Association for Environmental History (AAEH) will be held in Takamatsu City and Teshima, Tonosho-cho, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, from 18 to 25 September 2025 (= AAEH 2025). It will include keynote speeches, joint and parallel sessions, as well as excursions during and after the conference.
On the occasion of the conference, we would like to announce the launch of our new website (still under construction: https://www.iceds.net/aaeh/) and the Call for Panels (The first stage). Instead of running a Call for Papers and a Call for Panels at the same time, as we have done in the past, we will first open the call for panels: regular paper sessions, round tables and various others. First of all, we would like to make a list of panels. The application period will start today and end at the end of August. Details are given in the Forms section below and on the website (https://www.iceds.net/aaeh/aaeh2025/). We would be grateful if you could take a look at the website.
The standard English notation on the website is British English, but we plan to use both US and British English as the common language at the conference. We believe that there are problems with the English notation and so on. Please give us your frank notices. We are also aware that there may be some unclear points regarding this Call for Panels. Please do not hesitate to give us your suggestions and opinions. We have already published the names of the programme committee members on the website, but some other sections of the website are still under construction. We would be grateful for your understanding.
We very much look forward to receiving your various panel proposals.
Best regards,
Satoshi Murayama
[5 February 2024]
February Event Report: The 10th Historical Association for Environmentally Local Economy (HAELE)
We are delighted to share the highlights and outcomes of the 10th Historical Association for Environmentally Local Economy (HAELE) held on February 2nd, 2024. Launched in November 2021, HAELE has attracted diverse scholars from various disciplines to explore the new frontier of economic history, social philosophy, and environmental studies.
HAELE-10 and “Altered Earth in Asia”
HAELE-10 brought together members from HAELE, AAEH, and students from Kagawa University. The virtual meeting, hosted on ZOOM, centered around the theme of the Anthropocene, highlighting the complex temporal and transboundary nature of environmental issues.
During the event, AAEH President Murayama unveiled an exciting initiative – the production of an Asian edition of Altered Earth: Getting the Anthropocene Right (edited by Julia Adeney Thomas). This edition aims to delve into various aspects of Asian environmental history within local contexts. Former AEAEH President Buhm Soon Park emphasized the importance of maintaining a global perspective while focusing on local histories, considering it an approach to understanding the altered earth.
Speakers and Topics
The discussion on Asian environmental history began with insightful presentations and recent activity reports:
- Prof. Satoshi Murayama provided an in-depth analysis of pond culture in Japan’s rural areas and presented a framework for the upcoming Altered Earth in Asia project, covering environmental, academic, and economic aspects.
- Ms. Jingyuan Wu from the AAEH secretary team introduced the AAEH newsletter as one of the platforms for publishing outcomes from the Altered Earth in Asia project.
- Prof. Taro Takemoto introduced the development of the Environmental Historians’ Network in Japan, outlining their goals and future directions.
- Prof. Toru Terao reported on the activities of The International Consortium for Earth and Development Sciences (ICEDS) and his new Core-to-Core Program, focusing on research related to water use, culture, and crisis management in South Asia.
Engaging Discussions and Global Participation
The discussion section saw active participation from audiences in Japan, Taiwan, Croatia, etc. Topics included democratic activities and their impact on the countryside, the significance of sato-yama as the interface between humans and nature, comparisons between sato-yama in Japan and Europe, and evaluations of socio-economic impacts.
Looking Ahead: Call for Contributions and Upcoming Exciting Events
As we conclude HAELE-10, we extend our gratitude for your participation and engagement. Stay tuned for the upcoming call for contributions for Altered Earth in Asia and other exciting events, which will be announced through the AAEH newsletter. Your continued subscription is important to our association, and we look forward to your active involvement in shaping the future of environmental history studies!