The Tranquebarian Society: Science, enlightenment and useful knowledge in the Danish-Norwegian East Indies, 1768–1813.

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Abstract

The Danish-Norwegian colony of Tranquebar in south-east India is a little explored case of science and ‘patriotic enlightenment’ in the colonial world of the 18th and early 19th centuries. In the period 1768–1813, Tranquebar emerged as a local south Indian hub of science and improvement. The symbol of this development was the establishment of the Tranquebarian Society, the third learned society east of the Cape of Good Hope. The article examines the unique assemblage of scientific networks, people, instruments, institutions, and ideas of local and global origin that converged in Tranquebar, and it investigates the fusion of local problems and radical ideas of enlightenment, education, and improvement that united government, mission, and merchants in Tranquebar in the
quest for ‘useful knowledge’.
Original languageEnglish
JournalScandinavian Journal of History
Volume40
Issue number4
Number of pages27
ISSN0346-8755
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Jul 2015
Externally publishedYes

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