Institute of Life, Earth and Environment
Environmental History
Since man arrived on earth he began to influence and alter his environment.
Urbanisation and industrial revolution probably had the most severe impacts on nature in history.
The focus of environmental history studies lies on the perception of human impacts on urban and rural areas through urbanization, industrial exploitation and pollution between the 18th and the 20th century. Further emphasis is put on the pollution of rivers and the relationships between men and animals. Research on socio-historical aspects relate to the history of the local products (“produits du terroir”). The geographic scope is Belgium / Europe but also the South (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Philippines).
