Online, 24 January 2025
All times shown are London (GMT, UTC+0)
Join us on Friday 24 January for an afternoon of online animal history.
The programme is given in UK timings (GMT), but we hope that, wherever you’re based, there will be parts you’ll be able to join us for if not the whole event.
There is no registration fee for the conference but places are limited. Please register using the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ahg-ecr-symposium-2025-tickets-1031112594527
If circumstances change and you are no longer able to attend please do let us know as we anticipate strong interest in the event and hope to accommodate as many people as possible.
Updated Programme
Please note that the timings for this event have been amended, as unfortunately some speakers are no longer able to participate. The symposium will now begin at 14.00 (UK time).
14:00 Welcome
14:05 – 15:05 Session 1
The onset of commercial pig production and the transformation of pigs’ spaces, bodies and experiences in Finland, 1900s–1930s
Eeva Nikkilä, University of Turku
Images and Myths of Giraffe in Early Modern Chinese World Geography
Dong Han, University of Warwick and Xianglong Zhu, University of Cambridge
15:05 – 15:30 Break
15:30 – 16:30 Session 2
Navigating New Pastures: Introduction and Evolution of Reindeer Herding in Alaska and the Northwest Territories
Mervi Salo, University of Saskatchewan and University of Tromsø-Arctic University of Norway
Animal History Networking
Full Programme (with abstracts)
Programme
14:00 Welcome
14:05 – 15:05 Session 1
Changing spaces, changing bodies, and changing experiences: how developments in pig farming affected pigs in Finland, 1900–1930
Eeva Nikkilä, University of Turku
My paper explores the developments in Finnish pig farming in the early 1900s from three different, interconnected perspectives: spaces, bodies, and pigs’ experiences. The beginning of the 1900s marked a gradual shift towards more modern and commercially oriented pig production, which led to pervasive changes in Finnish pigs’ lives as housing arrangements and husbandry practices were adjusted to meet the needs and demands of commercial production. New, more modern piggeries were built; traditional pigsties were replaced with larger and sturdier buildings designed to accommodate a growing number of pigs. These new piggery spaces created living conditions that ultimately changed pigs’ bodies and experiences. Changes in pigs were often negative; they developed new diseases and suffered in less-than-optimal living conditions. Hence, many agricultural professionals and farmers adopted a more critical stance towards modern piggeries during the 1920s and 1930s and called for a reassessment of how pigs should be housed and cared for.
Images and Myths of Giraffe in Early Modern Chinese World Geography
Dong Han, University of Warwick and Xianglong Zhu, University of Cambridge
In the wake of Zheng He’s voyages to the Indian oceans, the giraffe, renamed as the Chinese mythical creature qilin, was sent as a tribute to the Ming Empire (1368–1644). Paintings and poems celebrated the qilin-giraffe as a symbol of the revival of a non-extant, ancient golden age, emphasizing a Sino-centric worldview. The giraffe reappeared as Enaxiyue (Orasius) in the double-hemispheral world map Kunyu quantu by the Jesuit missionary Ferdinand Verbiest (1623–1688) and became the visual evidence of a wider world beyond China. The transition from qilin to Enaxiyue reveals the reconstruction of the image of giraffe and its cultural-political implications in early globalization.
Previous research has recognized the significance of the qilin-giraffe in shaping the diplomacy and cultural identities of Ming China. However, there is little discussion about Verbiest’s giraffe during the early Qing (1636–1912), which gives rise to the consideration of the transforming cultural-political metaphor of the giraffe in early modern China. From the perspectives of art history and intellectual history, this research examines the role of giraffe in shaping Chinese and European world systems and in the reproduction of European geographical and zoological knowledge.
15:05 – 15:30 Break
15:30 – 16:30 Session 2
Navigating New Pastures: Introduction and Evolution of Reindeer Herding in Alaska and the Northwest Territories
Mervi Salo, University of Saskatchewan and University of Tromsø-Arctic University of Norway
Reindeer herding in Alaska and the Northwest Territories began with the translocation of reindeer and Sámi families from Sápmi (arctic Norway) by government agent Sheldon Jackson in an attempt to mitigate food scarcity among Indigenous populations relocated by the government. This story is intertwined with governmental policies, food security, the economy, Indigenous practices, and the resilience of both human and animal actors. This cross-continental migration began a complex interplay between Indigenous knowledge, colonial policies, and animal husbandry in Arctic environments.
The paper explores the impact of socio-political changes on reindeer herding in North America, including the legislation that limited reindeer ownership to “Alaskan Natives” taking the ownership away from the Sami who brought the reindeer over to Alaska. The study highlights the divergent paths of the Sámi, with some returning to Sápmi and others assimilating into new economies. A focal point is a monumental trek of reindeer from Alaska to Canada, and the blended Sámi/Inuit family that continued the legacy of reindeer husbandry with this Canadian herd until the recent acquisition of the herd by the Inuvialuit Corporation
This case study illustrates the dynamic relationship between humans and animals in shaping historical trajectories, using the example of reindeer herding in North America. The story highlights how animals have adapted to human-induced changes and have played a significant role in shaping socio-economic and cultural landscapes. This narrative emphasizes the role of animals as both movers and shapers of history.
Animal History Networking
This final slot of the day will provide a more informal opportunity to meet other attendees and discuss all things animal history – find out what people are working on, share book recommendations, and let us know what sorts of events you’d find useful in our programme.
AHG 