4/10 - Science, Slavery and Its Legacies. Conférence Slavery, Resistance and Democracy.

The session provides a compelling and nuanced examination of the colonial underpinnings of natural history collections in Switzerland. Monique Ligtenberg’s presentation stands out for its meticulous archival research and its ability to connect micro-histories (individual collectors, trading companies) to broader structural phenomena like commodity racism and global capitalism. She effectively demonstrates that the butterfly trade was not a marginal curiosity but a highly professionalized, profit-driven enterprise embedded in transnational infrastructures. The use of specific examples, such as the naming of species after buyers and the letters from collectors, adds concreteness and humanizes the narrative. However, the presentation is explicitly work in progress, and some arguments, such as the indirect connection to slavery through fazendas, are suggestive rather than fully developed. Nelson Sanjad’s presentation, though not detailed in the transcript, promises to complement Ligtenberg’s by focusing on the career trajectories of scientists, thereby addressing the human dimension of colonial science. The chair’s introduction and the Q&A session (not transcribed) likely provided further context. The overall quality is high, with clear methodological transparency and a critical perspective that aligns with current scholarly trends in provenance research and colonial history. The main limitation is the brevity of the transcript, which may omit nuances and the full scope of the presentations. Nonetheless, the session offers valuable insights into the often-overlooked Swiss involvement in colonial networks and the material culture of science.

The title is broad and somewhat generic, but the content directly addresses the themes of science, slavery, and legacies through specific historical case studies.

8/10

The presentations are based on archival research and scholarly expertise, with clear methodological transparency. The speakers are established researchers in their fields, and the content is well-structured and referenced.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 00:00Introduction by chair Stéphanie Ginalski, outlining the session's theme and speakers.
• 02:00Monique Ligtenberg begins her presentation on the butterfly trade, introducing the Agrias collection at ETH Zurich.
• 05:00Ligtenberg discusses the history of ETH's entomological collection, including the Esher family's connections to slavery.
• 10:00Introduction of Robert Petermann and his butterfly collection, highlighting his industrial background.
• 15:00Explanation of the transimperial butterfly trade infrastructure, including trading companies, banks, and insurance.
• 20:00Discussion of marketing strategies, such as naming species after buyers, and the role of on-the-ground collectors like Hugo Carlos Boy.
• 25:00Ligtenberg concludes with reflections on commodity racism and the structural dimensions of colonial collecting.
• 30:00Nelson Sanjad begins his presentation on German-speaking Swiss scientists in the Amazon and their career choices.
• 40:00Sanjad discusses the motivations and experiences of scientists in the Amazon, emphasizing transnational networks.
• 50:00Q&A session and discussion with the audience.

• Commodifying the Amazon: A German Painter, a Swiss Industrialist, and the Transimperial Butterfly Trade (1890–1920) — Presentation by Monique Ligtenberg at the conference.
• Tropics as a Career Choice: German-Speaking Swiss Scientists in the Amazon (1890–1920) — Presentation by Nelson Sanjad at the conference.

• Provenance research in natural history collections — General context for the methodological approach.
• Commodity racism — Concept referenced by Ligtenberg.