In recent years, historians of science have called attention to knowledge traditions around the globe. Traditional history of science focused very much on the European-American sphere, corresponding to the cultural dominance of the “Western world” in the colonial and post-colonial period.
The shift in perspective has shed light on the wealth of knowledge developed by Aztec botanists, astronomers in the Islamic World, African agronomists, or Chinese mathematicians. A global perspective clarifies how these traditions have influenced and learned from each other. It also becomes clear how the Eurocentric perspective has obscured these global roots. With a fresh appraisal, we can show how some of these traditions have been documented by our library’s collection all along.
Visit the exhibit
The exhibit will be on display through 1 November during opening hours of the Library of Science.