The Blue History Network

The Blue History Network, developed as part of one of our current research projects in environmental humanities, is an interdisciplinary initiative that places water at the center of historical inquiry, fostering research, collaboration, and new perspectives on how water shapes human societies and the past.

The recent “blue” turn in the humanities – an effort to critically examine the role of water in literary, cultural, and historical studies – has fostered a rich, interdisciplinary dialogue on the fluidity of human identities. This emerging “hydro-humanism” places water at the center of human actions and relationships, challenging land-based frameworks by rethinking questions of temporality, materiality, and spatiality.

Our mission is to deepen understanding of the pivotal role of water in shaping historical events, cultures, economies, and societies. The Blue History Network welcomes historians from all subfields, as well as scholars interested in how water intersects with and informs historical research.

Facilitating research

We offer a collection of resources, including academic journals and articles, reviews and podcasts tailored to enhance your research on blue history. Our goal is to simplify the research and access processes, enabling you to conduct in-depth studies with ease.

Promoting scholarly collaboration and outreach

The network aims to foster a dynamic network of historians, other scholars and students to explore the intersection of water and history. By creating opportunities for collaboration, discussion, and the sharing of ideas, we hope to inspire innovative research and raise public interest in the topic.

Expanding historical perspectives

We invite scholars to critically examine historical narratives and findings by using water as an analytical lens, and to review their articles by asking: What if you brought water to the center of your analysis? How would your work change?

Interested? See our dedicated website here.