Posted by C3W Admin on December 5 2024
The History of Science Society, for the first time in its one hundred years of existence, met in a Latin American country on November 7-10. The colonial city of Mérida (funded in 1542), in the Mexican state of Yucatán, received five hundred historians of science, probably the most geographically diverse crowd since the society’s creation by Belgian-American George A. Sarton. Colleagues from East and South East Asia, South and North America, and all corners of Europe gathered to celebrate the centennial of the oldest professional society in our area. The more than 160 academic sessions included organized sessions and an exceptional number of roundtables that aimed to reflect on our profession’s past and future. The C3W project was well represented by Liang Wan, Lu Chen, Gisela Mateos, Sarah Marks, Sarah Howard, Dora Vargha, and Edna Suárez-Díaz, who participated with individual papers, as panelists, and as chairs in six different sessions. Our subject matter has made meaningful inroads into mainstream history of science!
The city of Merida provided a privileged space to think about the history of science from a global and environmental perspective, with constant references to local cultures and histories. Some organized tours to surrounding Mayan-colonial towns and the archaeological ruins at the Puuc route ensured a relaxed collective mood. To top the celebration, a Centennial Banquet, including local music played by a trio, was organized at the Quinta Montes Molina, a beautiful colonial villa at the Paseo Montejo, around the corner from the meeting’s venue. Colleagues and old friends met to discuss ideas and projects in a welcoming environment, enjoying a longer lunch break designed to face the Caribbean weather and to participate in -and enjoy- the culinary culture of Yucatán.
As we received ominous international news, the city and its surroundings (Izamal, Maní, Uxmal, and other Mayan cities) reminded us of past struggles but also the joys and turnarounds lived by all human societies. Merida itself witnessed Spanish colonialism, large migrations and slavery, and it became a key node of 19th and 20th-century global capitalism by exporting crucial commodities to international markets. Nevertheless in 1924, the year that HSS was funded, the city became the first Mexican town governed by a socialist, the intellectual Felipe Carrillo Puerto. He defended the indigenous Maya, fought the powerful hacienda owners of the sisal industry, and became an early advocate of women’s suffrage. His life highlights the value of solidarity, a key value in our C3W project.
Remembering the past while strengthening transnational ties and collective aspirations for a better future was the outcome of the first HSS Meeting organized in a Latin American country. It was well worth the effort!!
