Atmospheric Politics in the Indian Ocean

In this talk, Debjani Bhattacharyya shows how the underwriting practices that developed with Britain’s imperial expansion in the Indian ocean critically shaped the very parameters of meteorology in the early 19^th century. Analyzing navigational journals and insurance cases fought in the marine courts in India and the admiralty courts in London, the talk reflects on why the risks of tropical cyclones, instead of becoming limits to be overcome through scientific forecasting, were instead financialized and made profitable through a brisk and thriving underwriting business. Bridging economic and environmental history, the talk documents how the very modalities and frameworks for assessing climate disturbance emanated out of these webs of insurance and trade that enveloped the globe during this period.

Professor Debjani Bhattacharya is the Chair for the History of the Anthropocene at the University of Zurich. Her research focuses on the anthropocene and history; environmental transformation and its contemporary manifestations; climate history and historical climatology; legal history of environmental change; British Empire, South Asia; the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

Contemporary manifestations; climate history and historical climatology; legal history of environmental change; British Empire, South Asia; the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

Registration

Building 22 (known as The Chapel) has limited capacity. Please register by e-mailing Maansi Parpiani to guarantee your seat. We also welcome you to join us on the day, provided there is space.

Location

Building 22 is accessible both via Bartholinsgade and Øster Farimagsgade.
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