Research Areas

Animal classification in early modern natural history, cultural history, animal studies

In her PhD thesis on early modern animal classification Silvia not only examines concepts of animal order, as prominently discussed by Michel Foucault in his book "The Order of Things," who stated an essential turn from an emblematical view to modern taxonomy in the late 17th and early 18th century. But, considering new approaches of cultural and social history of science, she also focuses on practices of information management and collective research in organizing the animal kingdom. How was order thought, undermined and constructed at the turn of the century?