Emil Perron with a presentation on Montaigne at a conference in Bordeaux
Bordeaux as the center of research on the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne and knowledge and science in Montaigne's time.
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The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) is still very present in Bordeaux.
PhD scholar Emil Perron participated in the conference « Sciences et savoirs en Aquitaine à l’époque de Montaigne » (English: “Science and knowledge in Aquitaine at the time of Montaigne”) in Bordeaux, France, 23-24 May 2024.
The conference was organized by Professors Anne Bouscharain (Centre Montaigne, Université Bordeaux Montaigne), Violaine Giacomotto-Charra (Director Center Montaigne, Université Bordeaux Montaigne) and Sabine Rommevaux-Tani (Ausonius, Université Bordeaux Montaigne) for Centre Montaigne, Université Bordeaux Montaigne and Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Montaigne is closely linked to Bordeaux and its surroundings, where he lived his life in the 16th century. Today, a center for research on Montaigne is found at the Montaigne Center (Centre Montaigne), Université Bordeaux Montaigne.
The first day of the conference took place at the historical Hôtel de Poissac, while the second day of the conference took place at the Musée d'Aquitaine (formerly the University of Bordeaux and before that the chapel of the Feuillants Abbey where Michel de Montaigne was buried).
The conference brought together researchers from France, England, the United States and Norway and addressed a number of topics, including medical texts by doctors and intellectuals in the 16th century, texts about the plague in Aquitaine, botany and mathematics in Guyenne, as well as thoughts on how the understanding of nature at the time can, through research of today, be carried forward. Through many of these themes, the participants gained an insight not only into medicine, intellectual texts in French and Latin, but also an insight into the notion of nature.
Emil had the honor of closing the conference with the presentation "La notion de « nature » selon Michel de Montaigne, ou comment un retour au XVIe siècle pourrait nous informer sur notre conception de la nature à l'Anthropocène du XXIe siècle" ("The concept of nature according to Michel de Montaigne, or how a return to the 16th century can inform our perception of nature in the Anthropocene of the 21st century"). The topic is linked to Emil's doctoral thesis.
In 2024, Emil Perron received a grant from the Norwegian University Center in Paris (DNUP), which enabled him to attend the conference. The grant also enables a month-long research stay in beautiful Bordeaux in June, as well as a month-long research stay in Bordeaux in November in order to work on the thesis, investigate the possibilities for a double diploma, collaborate with researchers in Bordeaux and work for a closer collaboration between Bergen and BordeauxMore updates to come.
