Prof. E.A.C. Storms-Smeets (Elyze)

Historical geographer and landscape historian. Special professor of Regional History of Gelderland at Radboud University.

Historical research can play a crucial role in contemporary dialogues and tasks. Within and outside the academic world I work on interdisciplinary research into history, landscape and heritage. The adage 'learning from the past' is central to my work on spatial and social issues in heritage and landscape. Thanks to in-depth historical research (including primary source research, fieldwork and oral history), I provide insights into the longue durée of landscape and social developments from local to international. These insights serve as a basis for contemporary challenges such as climate adaptation, agricultural transition, inclusive participation, nature conservation and urban growth. Inclusivity, diversity, co-creation and polyphony play a crucial role in all my projects and research. In the last twenty years I have built up a large and warm network with historical circles, universities and colleges, heritage owners, nature organizations, heritage institutions, museums, archives, citizens and governments.

Expertise
• Historical and social geography
• Social history, agricultural history, elite history
• Garden and landscape history
• Heritage studies
• Participation, co-creation and inclusion
• Historical cartography and GIS
• Oral history
• Special interest in: polyphony, large land ownership, urban-rural relations, the Second World War, public and private landscapes, border landscapes, nature and cultural protection, estates as physical, functional and social ensembles.

• Oorlog in Arcadië