February 15-16, 2024

Workshop – Human-Environment Interaction in Early China: Archaeological and Paleoenvironmental Research Trends and Future Trajectories

Locations:
February 15: The Forum, conference room 229, Columbia University
February 16: Calder Lounge, Uris Hall 107, Columbia University

Introduction:
This workshop brings together scholars from a range of different backgrounds (in particular, climate scientists and anthropological archaeologists) working on issues of climatic phenomena and/or human-environment interaction in early China (10KYA-1KYA). The goals are to improve understanding of key questions and methodologies between disciplines, discuss the current state of research on human-environment interaction in early China, and highlight examples of excellent research on this topic. We will look at multiple examples of such work and discuss base methods and principles that can help promote high standards of research while still allowing for multi-voiced accounts of the past. We view this workshop as a discussion to develop a better understanding of best practices for multidisciplinary work, which we plan to jointly publish in a leading scholarly journal, and as a means of building relationships between individuals in each field which may lead to future collaborations.

Co-organizers:

Andrew Womack, Furman University
Anke Hein, University of Oxford
Yitzchak Jaffe, Haifa University

Participating Scholars:

Boyang Zhao, Brown University
Elizabeth Berger, University of California Riverside
Jason E. Smerdon, Columbia University
Liu Xinyi, Washington University in St. Louis
Ren Xiaolin, Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yu Dong, Shandong University, currently a Harvard Yanqing scholar

Invited Attendees:

Brendan Buckley, Columbia University
Caroline Leland, Columbia University
Hung Nguyen, Columbia University
Camilla Sturm, Barnard
Rodrick Campbell, ISAW-NYU
Li Feng, Columbia University
Tao Guo, Columbia University
Chris Kim, Columbia University
Yong-ha Kim, Columbia University
Yuhao Chen, Columbia University

Schedule:

Thursday, February 15
8:15–8:30 Participants arrive
8:30–9:00 Introduction: Recent Publication Trends (Andrew Womack & Anke Hein)
9:00-11:45 Session I: Data standardization and applications
9:00–10:15 Temporal & Spatial mismatches in archaeological data (Yitzchak Jaffe)
10:15–10:30 Coffee & Tea Break
10:30–11:45 Paleoclimate data products: production and applications (Jason Smerdon)
11:45–12:45 Lunch (at venue)
12:45-16:00 Session II: Theoretical orientations in archaeology, history, and paleoclimate: Correlation vs Causation
12:45–14:00 Theoretical Frameworks for Human-Climate Interaction: Archaeological and Historical (Xiaolin Ren, Xinyi Liu)
14:00–14:30 Coffee & Tea Break
14:30–16:00 Theoretical Frameworks for Human-Climate Interaction: Paleoclimate and Ecology (Boyang Zhao, Xinyi Liu)

Friday, February 16
9:00–12:30 Session III: Proxy data and cultural responses
9:00-10:20 Presentations of successful integration of data in research outside China (Liz Berger)
10:20–10:40 Coffee & Tea Break
10:40-12:00 Examples of joint archaeological-paleoclimatic research in China (Yu Dong)
12:00 Lunch (at venue)
13:30–17:30 Session IV: Development of Best Practices
13:30-15:00 Adapting ‘best practices’ from papers to Chinese context (group discussion)
15:00-15:30 Coffee & Tea Break
15:30-17:30 Creation of best practices article outline (group work)