Beyond the Lab and the Field: Infrastructures as Places of Knowledge Production Since the Late Nineteenth Century

Beyond the Lab and the Field explores how infrastructures as intense sites of knowledge production in the Americas, Europe, and Asia since the late nineteenth century intersected with the creation of know-how and expertise, revealing opportunities for great wealth and distress. It also examines how innovative technologies provided research opportunities for scientists and engineers, but also transformed nature, disrupting communities and destroying the local environment.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 19 April 2022
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press

Beyond the Lab and the Field delves into the intricate tapestry of infrastructures as vibrant hubs of knowledge production across the Americas, Europe, and Asia since the late 19th century. It ventures beyond the traditional realms of scientific discovery, shedding light on how the construction, maintenance, and operation of canals, highways, dams, irrigation schemes, the oil industry, and logistical networks intertwine with the formation of expertise and knowledge. These intersections, referred to as scientific bonanzas by the authors, unveil both immense opportunities for wealth and profound challenges, mirroring the complexities of the modern world.

This volume delves into the transformative power of innovative technologies, as scientists and engineers harnessed their expertise to operate these technologies, leading to substantial profits for some. However, as with any gold rush, the history of infrastructure also unveils the profound impact of modernity on nature, disrupting communities and eroding the local environment. Rather than celebrating a triumphal march of science and technology, this book emphasizes the nuanced and ambivalent changes that infrastructures have brought about. Contributors examine the multifaceted roles of infrastructures in ecology, geology, archaeology, soil science, engineering, ethnography, heritage, and polar exploration. They also explore largely overlooked perspectives on modernity, such as the reliance of infrastructure on knowledge and infrastructures as spaces and occasions that foster a deeper understanding of the natural world and the technologically created environment.

In conclusion, Beyond the Lab and the Field offers a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between infrastructures, knowledge production, and the broader socio-environmental landscape. It sheds light on the complex web of interactions that shape our world, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges that arise from the construction, maintenance, and operation of these vital systems. By examining these intersections, this book contributes to our understanding of the complex and evolving nature of modernity and its impact on our societies and natural world.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780822946373