No lone heroes: is there a place for life stories in the history of science?
Biography has been regarded with suspicion by historians, as neglecting the currents of technological change and historical contingency in favour of a focus on the individual. An alternative view is that the life history of a scientist can be told in such a way as to illustrate these larger themes, while providing a compelling narrative that offers the opportunity to reach audiences beyond the academy. I will illustrate this argument with reference to the lives of 20th century molecular biologists and Nobel prizewinners, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin and Max Perutz.
Date: 24 February 2020, 16:00 (Monday, 6th week, Hilary 2020)
Venue: History Faculty, George Street OX1 2RL
Venue Details: Lecture Theatre
Speaker: Georgina Ferry (Author)
Part of: Oxford Centre for the History of Science Medicine & Technology (OCHSMT) Seminars and Events
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editor: Belinda Clark