Study daysHistory

Date(s)

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Published on Thursday, April 16, 2026

Abstract

The history of the chemical industry has long attracted scholarly attention and continues to do so today. This workshop reflects on the current state of the historiography, including its implications for other areas of research. Focusing on Northwest Europe and its connections to other regions, the workshop provides a forum to discuss works in progress and identify avenues for future research. Those interested in attending, either in person or virtually, are encouraged to register via the link above.

Announcement

Program

Tuesday 5 May

Introduction : The chemical industry in Northwest Europe

11 :15-11 :45 : Welcome and introduction

Gabriel Galvez-Behar (Université de Lille) and Joris Mercelis (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf)

Conceptual foundations

11 :45-12.30 : “From Chemical Trades to Chemical Industry : The History of a Concept” Ernst Homburg (Universiteit Maastricht)

Lunch break

Chemical manufacturing and pollution in northern France

13 :45-14 :30 : “Le Nord : Industrial Center of the Kuhlmann Company, Periphery of French and European Chemistry, 1825–1982” Erik Langlinay (Lycée F. Buisson, Société française d’histoire de la chimie)
14 :30-15 :15 : “Evaluating the Environmental and Health Impacts of Artificial-Fiber Use in the Twentieth-Century French Textile Industry” Clément Marquez (Université de Lille – CNRS)

Coffee break

The European chemical industry in global perspective

15 :35-16 :20 : “Supplying Colors En Route : Logistics and Technological Adaptation in the Synthetic Dye Trade between Germany and China.” Lejie Zeng (Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte)
16-20-17 :05 : “Global Chemical Industry” Alison McManus (Johns Hopkins University) and Joris Mercelis (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf)

Conclusion

17 :05-17 :20 : Concluding remarks and discussion

Practical information

Registration: https://evento.renater.fr/survey/the-chemical-industry-in-northwest-europe-tzse7nvl

Subjects

Places

Building A – Salle A1.152 - Université de Lille - Campus universitaire Pont-de-Bois
Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France (59650)

Event attendance modalities

Hybrid event (on site and online)

Date(s)

Tuesday, May 05, 2026

Attached files

Chemical industry workshop_Lille_5 May 2026.pdf

Keywords

histoire, chimie, europe

Contact(s)

Gabriel Galvez-Behar
courriel : gabriel [dot] galvez-behar [at] univ-lille [dot] fr

Information source

Gabriel Galvez-Behar
courriel : gabriel [dot] galvez-behar [at] univ-lille [dot] fr

License

This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0 .

To cite this announcement

Gabriel Galvez-Behar, Joris Mercelis, « The Chemical Industry in Northwest Europe: Local and Global Perspectives (18th–20th Centuries) », Study days, Calenda, Published on Thursday, April 16, 2026, https://doi.org/10.58079/1631h

Author(s)

Gabriel Galvez-Behar