9th International Congress of Ethnobiology

The Ethnobiology of Europe
FRIDAY 10-12 GRIMOND LT3

Organizers: Dr. Rajindra K. Puri (rkp@kent.ac.uk) and Professor Roy Ellen, Anthropology, UKC
Dates and Location: Friday, June 18, 2004, 10 am -12; University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.

Aims

This exploratory meeting aims to bring together researchers interested in pursuing ethnobiological research in Europe, either individually or in collaboration with others. We hope to facilitate the formation of a network of researchers, brainstorm on important topics and questions of the day, and explore the funding possibilities for collaborative or linked research.

The case for an exploratory meeting

Ethnobiology in Europe is a small but quickly growing subject. Several ethnobiology academic programmes have recently been established at UKC, Université de Neuchatel, University of Ghent, University of Uppsala, and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna. There is a need to network, as individuals undertaking ethnobiological research in Europe are widely dispersed among universities, botanical gardens, zoos, non-governmental organizations and research institutes and hampered by the particular problems of inter-disciplinary collaboration. The meeting will provide the first opportunity of which we are aware, for such researchers to meet to co-ordinate research efforts.

Initial Research Themes

The transmission of knowledge related to homegardens, collection of wild culinary and medicinal plants, trade in wildlife (particularly herbs and wild meat), conservation of rare cultigens, the relationship between biological, cultural and linguistic diversity (especially the need to document ethnobotanical knowledge among speakers of Europe's many endangered languages), the effects of political and economic change on local plant use, the political ethnobotany of Eastern Europe and the new EU, and the potential contribution of ethnobotany and ethnozoology to EU environmental and agricultural policy.

Many of the themes to be discussed in the meeting will be explored in greater detail by participants of the 9th International Congress of Ethnobiology (www.kent.ac.uk/anthropology/ice2004). There will be sessions on 'Ethnobotany of the British Isles', ‘Homegardens’, ‘Mediterranean wild plants and health’ and the dominant theme of `Ethnobiology, social change and displacement’ pays particular attention to the ethnobotany/ethnozoology of ethnic minorities and migrant communities within Europe, and of marginalized groups, including women.

Preliminary meeting programme

Introduction by convenors: The state of ethnobiological research in Europe
Introduction of participants: Roundtable discussion of current projects in Europe
Breakout groups along thematic lines: Discussion of means of expanding current research or creating comparative studies, for example in:
- homegarden studies
- wild culinary and medicinal plants
- transmission of ethnobotanical knowledge
- agrobiodiversity and rare cultigens
- political ethnobotany: effects of EU expansion and Soviet withdrawal
European policy issues
Reports of breakout groups and general discussion
New ideas for research/collaboration
Funding possibilities
Expanding the network: identifying potential partners
Follow up: Formation of European Ethnobiology Network and ideas for a website
back to main Ethnobiology of Europe page