Colonialism and Science

by McClellan III, James E.

• ISBN13: 9780226514673
• ISBN10: 0226514676
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-10-30
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

How was the character of science shaped by the colonial experience? In turn, how might we make sense of how science contributed to colonialism? Saint Domingue (now Haiti) was the world's richest colony in the eighteenth century and home to an active society of scienceone of only three in the world, at that time. In this deeply researched and pathbreaking study of the colony, James E. McClellan III first raised his incisive questions about the relationship between science and society that historians of the colonial experience are still grappling with today. Long considered rare, the book is now back in print in an English-language edition, accompanied by a new foreword by Vertus Saint-Louis, a native of Haiti and a widely-acknowledged expert on colonialism. Frequently cited as the crucial starting point in understanding the Haitian revolution,Colonialism and Sciencewill be welcomed by students and scholars alike. "By deftly weaving together imperialism and science in the story of French colonialism, [McClellan] . . . brings to light the history of an almost forgotten colony."Journal of Modern History "McClellan has produced an impressive case study offering excellent surveys of Saint Domingue's colonial history and its history of science."Isis

Author Biography

James E. McClellan III is professor of the history of science at Stevens Institute of Technology. He is the author of Science and Technology in World History, among several other books.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. vii
Preface and Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Note on Weights, Measures, and Currency	p. xix
Introduction: The Case of Saint Domingue	p. 1
Eighteenth-Century Saint Domingue: The Old Regime in the Tropics	p. 21
Material Factors	p. 23
Historical Development	p. 34
Population and Sociology	p. 47
Industry and Economy	p. 63
The Urban Context	p. 75
Science in a New World Setting	p. 109
Missionary Naturalists	p. 111
Expeditions to Saint Domingue	p. 117
Medicine and Medical Administration	p. 128
Economic Botany and Animal Economy	p. 147
Meteorology and Popular Science	p. 163
The Cercle Des Philadelphes (1784-1792)	p. 181
Origins: Science or Freemasonry?	p. 183
Milestones on the Road to Recognition	p. 206
On to Letters Patent	p. 233
Profile of an Institution	p. 259
The Fall of the société Royale of cap François	p. 273
Conclusions: Science and Colonial Development	p. 289
Abbreviations	p. 299
Notes	p. 301
Bibliography	p. 361
Index	p. 383
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