'Alfred Russel Wallace, Explorer, Evolutionist and Campaigner: Seeking the Bubble Reputation' Seminar
For more information regarding this seminar, please email Dr David Brown at d.s.brown@southampton.ac.uk .
Event details
This seminar is part of the Southampton Centre for Nineteenth Century Research Series.
‘Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) is perhaps now most famous for his co-discovery of the theory of evolution by natural selection with Charles Darwin. However, his achievements extend well beyond the ground-breaking paper of 1858. In addition to pioneering the study of the distribution of animals (which earned him the sobriquet of the ‘father of biogeography') he was at the vanguard of a vast variety of scientific, social and political discussions and debates.
So why is his reputation less striking than that of his contemporary, Charles Darwin? Peter Raby-author of Alfred Russel Wallace: A Life (2001)-will provide us a with a consideration of Wallace and his reputation looking at three aspects in particular: 1. Wallace's selection of Darwin, and other factors affecting his reputation during his lifetime; 2. Wallace and the academy; 3, Wallace in the twenty-first century: butterflies and birds of paradise.'
Speaker information
Dr Peter Raby, Homerton College. Emeritus Fellow. Research Interests; Drama and theatre, especially in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Oscar Wilde. Harold Pinter. History of ideas, especially Victorian scientific travellers, and the natural world.