This workshop explores the circulation of objects as a knowledge practice in the context of Dutch long-distance trading companies from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Focusing on the VOC and its successors, it examines how objects in transit acquired meanings that exceeded their commercial value and became embedded in epistemic, institutional, and political processes.

Drawing on the concept of knowledge in transit, the workshop approaches objects not as static entities but as part of dynamic communicative processes shaped by negotiation, use, and attribution of value. Contributions address questions of valuation, material practices, and the roles of diverse actors involved in the transition, reinterpretation, and institutionalisation of objects across different settings.

The workshop is designed as a discussion-oriented format with short introductory presentations followed by guided debate. A detailed programme, including individual contributions and scheduling, will be circulated to participants shortly.

 

Language
English

 

Organisers

• PD Dr. Susanne Friedrich (Freie Universität Berlin)
• Prof. Dr. Philip Hahn (Saarland University)
• Dr. Alexander Stoeger (Saarland University)