Event description
Simon Lobach is conducting PhD research on the environmental history of the Guianas, focusing on the encounter between mining operations and traditional populations. In this presentation, he will present the history of the expansion of the bauxite and aluminium industries in the Surinamese Amazon. These industries provided a dream of 'modernity' and 'development' for Suriname, but stopped their operations in Suriname much earlier than foreseen. However, their impacts on the country's ecologies and the livelihoods of the tribal Maroon populations are profound and lasting. Based on literature, archive research and interviews, Simon presents a political ecology of Suriname's short-lived bauxite adventure and the aluminium landscapes it left behind.
In line with the Graduate Institute's new COVID-19 regulations, this event will take place exclusively online. Students and faculty from all departments are welcome to attend.
About the Brunches
The History Brunches are a series of gatherings by members of the International History Department. The concept of the Brunches is as simple as it is effective: professors, visiting researchers and students are invited to present their projects in front of a small audience. Taking place about 3-4 times per semester since 2015, the brunches have become a forum for intellectual exchange that offer presenters an opportunity to test their ideas in a friendly environment.