Courtly Biopolitics? Princely Hunts and Animal Lives, c. 1300–1800

In the last years, the various forms of premodern princely hunt have attained more and more interest in historical research. Recent studies have shown that this time-consuming and costly activity of medieval and early modern rulers was linked to important political functions such as territorialisation, the attraction of noble elites to the court, and the symbolic representation of sovereignty. Furthermore, researchers in environmental and animal history have discovered the subject for its important role in the developments of regional landscapes and biodiversity, and human-animal relations in premodern courts. The workshop aims at discussing the connections between the socio-political and animal-related dimensions of the subject. We will analyse the various practical and symbolic roles of hunting dogs, falcons, and other non-human hunting assistants. Through which ways these animals came to the princely courts? How were they hosted and trained? And which role did their presence at court play in the self-representation of rulers and courtiers? Furthermore, a special interest will be paid to the premodern practices of game management. Which forms of protection and regulation were put into effort to ensure a sufficient presence of deer, pheasants, and other game populations? Can we even observe sort of domestication of wild animals? And which are the relations between such practices and the early modern discourses on human populations that, according to Michel Foucault, led the way to modern 'biopolitics'? The workshop will be held at the University of Bern, Switzerland, from 5-6 June 2020. We will discuss papers written by the participants that will circulate in advance. A publication of selected papers is planned. Papers in written in German, English or French that discuss a case study or present comparative perspectives on one of the subjects discussed above are especially welcome. The costs for travel and accommodation of the invited participants will be fully covered by subsidies of the Swiss National Science Foundation. Researchers who are interested to participate in the workshop are invited to send an abstract of 300-500 words and a short cv with some information about their current research project via e-mail to the organizer who will also be glad to answer your questions.