Lecture | Research Seminars Medieval and Early Modern History
Experts, essay prizes and the making of the Dutch environment in the eighteenth century
- Date
- Friday 9 October 2026
- Time
- Location
-
Johan Huizinga
Doelensteeg 16
2311 VL Leiden - Room
- Conference room (2.60)
Histories exploring the efficacy and impact of Dutch water expertise have typically focused on the first half of the seventeenth century, when the Dutch, challenged by climatic changes, war, and population growth, sought to establish control over their watery surroundings and dramatically reshaped their landscape. This paper instead focuses on the history of Dutch water expertise in the late eighteenth century, zooming in on essay prizes organized by learned societies such as the Hollandse Maatschappij der Wetenschappen, the Provinciaal Utrechts Genootschap, and the Maatschappij ter Bevordering van den Landbouw. With the express purpose to improve society and enhance prosperity, these societies directly called upon citizens to solve practical issues through essay prizes. Issues of water management featured prominently in these competitions, and questions about river management, dike maintenance, or the silting up of Amsterdam’s IJ all drew answers from a highly varied cast of practitioners. Their submissions offer us valuable insights into the way people with diverse backgrounds, skills, and responsibilities approached their environment, while surviving jury reports allow us to examine how epistemic, political, and commercial considerations underpinned the making and contestation of expertise in this period.
Research Seminars Medieval and Early Modern History
The seminars are informal and intended to foster discussion. There are drinks afterwards. Everyone is welcome to join.
If you would like to join a session, and/or receive invitations for the upcoming sessions, you can send an e-mail to: ngassistent@hum.leidenuniv.nl. Further information can be obtained from the organizers Shiru Lim, Judith Pollmann, Jeroen Duindam and Philippe Buc.