TALK in London & Oxford: "Indefatigable Naturalists: Wallace and Darwin on the Evolutionary Trail" by Jim Costa

On 24 and 30 July 2014, Jim Costa will be delivering a paper on Wallace and Darwin entitled "Indefatigable Naturalists: Wallace and Darwin on the Evolutionary Trail" in both London and Oxford.

Here is the abstract:

Alfred Russel Wallace was the last of the great Victorian naturalists, and by the end of his long life in 1913 he was also one of the most famous scientists in the world, lauded by leading learned societies, British royalty and US Presidents alike. Against all odds—lacking wealth, formal education, social standing or connections—Wallace became the pre-eminent tropical naturalist of his day. He founded one entirely new discipline—evolutionary biogeography—and, with Darwin, co-founded another: evolutionary biology. Yet today Darwin's name is universally recognised, while Wallace is all but unknown. Jim traces the independent development of Wallace's and Darwin's evolutionary insights, exploring the fascinating parallels, intersections and departures in their thinking.

PAPER: "Prometheus Unbound?: Alfred Russel Wallace, Vaccination Acts and the ‘Progress Problem’ in the late-Nineteenth Century" by Ahren Lester

I have just made my paper entitled "Prometheus Unbound?: Alfred Russel Wallace, Vaccination Acts and the ‘Progress Problem’ in the late-Nineteenth Century" available on Academia.edu. Here is the abstract:

The numerous Vaccination Acts passed between 1840 and 1907 were innovations in every sense of the word. They heralded a new approach to the role of the state in the population’s health. They consolidated the new relationship between the state and medical science. They also ultimately brought forth a new term: ‘conscientious objector.’ For us—sitting in the comfort of the twenty-first century—this innovation was unquestionably a boon to humanity. Smallpox is all but eradicated. In this regard, state-directed schemes such as the Vaccination Acts were key vectors of this victory over one of the great scourges of humanity.

TALK in Cardiff: "Shedding new light on Alfred Russel Wallace’s insect specimens" by Dr George Beccaloni

Do you want to know more about Alfred Russel Wallace and his entomological collections? If so, you're in luck.

The entomologist and Director of the Wallace Fund, Dr George Beccaloni, is to deliver a paper entitled: "Shedding new light on Alfred Russel Wallace’s insect specimens" in Cardiff on 25 June 2014. Here is the abstract:

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) is best known as being the co-discoverer of evolution by natural selection and the ‘father’ of zoogeography, however, he was also one of the greatest collectors of tropical insects and other animals of the 19th century. Wallace collected specimens for his private collection and also on a commercial basis for four years in Brazil and eight years in South-East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor). During the latter expedition he shipped back almost 110,000 insects to the UK, many of which were species new to science. My talk will give an overview of the insect specimens Wallace collected and where they are now. I will also discuss how my study of his data labels and collecting notebooks (recently digitised as part of the Wallace Correspondence Project) has shed new light on where and when the specimens were collected, adding much to their scientific value.

TALK in Croydon: "Alfred Russel Wallace as Social Reformer" by Prof. David Stack on 26 June 2014

There is a talk being given in Croydon on 26 June 2014 by Prof. David Stack on the University of Reading on "Alfred Russel Wallace as Social Reformer". The abstract reads:

South Croydonian Alfred Russel Wallace developed a theory of evolution but was beaten into print by Charles Darwin. As well as a leading scientist he was an active social reformer on issues like land nationalisation and anti-smallpox vaccination. Prof. Stack will discuss Wallace as social reformer.

Wallace lived in Croydon from March 1878 to 5 May 1881, first on Duppas Hill Lane and then St Peter's Road.  During this period he developed his interest in Land Nationalisation and co-founded and was the inaugural president of the Land Nationalisation Society.

TALK in Cardiff: "Wallace, Darwin and human evolution" by Chris Stringer

If anyone is in or around Cardiff on 10 June there is an interesting talk on "Wallace, Darwin and human evolution" taking place at Cardiff University in the Wallace Lecture theatre from 6.30pm.

I saw a paper delivered on much the same subject by Chris Stringer, who works at the Natural History Museum in London, at the Royal Society late last year and it was very interesting.

TALK in Southampton: "Remoulding Mill: the posthumous reputation of John Stuart Mill" by Prof. David Stack

Later this week there will be a talk by Professor David Stack of the University of Reading--which I will be chairing--on the philosopher John Stuart Mill and his posthumous reputation.

David Stack has previously done a great deal of work on the interaction between British politics and ideas and science including--most strikingly for me--a work on the The First Darwinian Left: Socialism and Darwinism 1859-1914. This included an excellent chapter on Alfred Russel Wallace and the relationship between his evolutionism and socialism. Well worth a read.

TALK in Southampton: "Alfred Russel Wallace, Explorer, Evolutionist and Campaigner: Seeking the Bubble Reputation" by Dr Peter Raby

On 4 December 2013 there is a talk on Alfred Russel Wallace by Dr Peter Raby who is Emeritus Fellow of Homerton College, Cambridge.

Peter will be talking about "Alfred Russel Wallace, Explorer, Evolutionist and Campaigner: Seeking the Bubble Reputation" as part of the "Victorian Reputations" seminar series organised by the new Southampton Centre for Nineteenth-century Research (SCNR) based at the University of Southampton.