Writing Zoological Natural History for British India

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John Mathew (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, History of Science, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences)

Writing Zoological Natural History for British India

John Mathew (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, History of Science, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences)

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English

Oxford University Press
05 November 2025

Asian history; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900; Colonialism & imperialism; Zoology & animal sciences; Biogeography

This book examines the critical role played by colonial peripheries, specifically British India, in shaping the development of zoology and other disciplines emerging from 19th-century natural history. Through an analysis of publications such as the monumental Fauna of British India series (1888-1949), it explores how zoology became a site of contestation between European metropolitan centres and colonial territories. While taxonomy and comparative anatomy dominated scientific endeavours in Europe, colonial naturalists-primarily European expatriates-engaged in a localized form of natural history and taxonomy that significantly influenced the field. Central to this narrative is the figure of the 'translocate,' a term introduced to describe Europeans who lived and worked extensively in colonial contexts. These intermediaries bridged colonial and metropolitan scientific communities, asserting dual authority: they claimed a superior understanding of the local environment while navigating and often dismissing indigenous knowledge systems within an asymmetrical power dynamic. By doing so, it repositions the colonial periphery as a critical space in the global development of zoological knowledge, highlighting the complex interplay of authority, power, and knowledge production during the colonial era.

By: John Mathew (Associate Professor Associate Professor History of Science Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm,
ISBN: 9780198932185
ISBN 10: 0198932189
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 05 November 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

John Mathew is an Associate Professor of History of Science at SIAS and the new Divisional Chair for Humanities & Social Sciences at and Krea University, Sri City, India. He holds a PhD in Ecological Sciences from Old Dominion University, an AM in Medical Anthropology, and a PhD in the History of Science from Harvard University.