Household and Environmental Studies – HES

Overview

The Household and Environmental Studies network is based on the premise that each studied unit of human dwelling is situated within its own environment (social, geographical and natural) with which it interacts. This phenomenon is observed across all social strata of society. Each social stratum places demands on its environment, which it uses and influences, to its own extent. Meeting the needs that arise from the operation of each household requires the interactions between two basic components - household and its environment. We define these principles as the “inner household” and “outer household” effect. The temporal delineation of the network focuses on the pre-industrial period, and it strives to intersect interdisciplinary approaches of natural, social, technical, and human sciences (anthropology, history, archaeology, biology, etc.). The fulfilment of human needs, both within and beyond the household, will be, on the basis of interactions with the environment, developed into three fundamental methodological lines of inquiry:

1. Effective and Affective Space

The household in the past represented both an effective and an affective space, covering basic human needs in terms of biology and psychology. This category focuses on a) issues related to effective management and sociability of the household i. e., practical and material phenomena such as housing, food, clothing, and ideal notions contained in instructive texts; b) issues of psychology and emotions in the household space, i.e. interhuman and interspecies relations in every zone of action and milieu, such as family, social class, gender, human-animal relations, and corresponding forms of care.

2. Landscape and Environmental

By their very nature, the terms landscape and environment are closely interconnected. They are the space where households are placed and where they obtain materials from. They both represent areas for growing crops and animal husbandry, areas where the inhabitants work (e.g., field, forest, hunting, land management) or do any other outdoor activities related to religion (e.g., pilgrimages), and entertainment (e.g., hunting). Landscape and environment(s) are part of nature that was not only affected by humans, but it also affected humans. While the landscape is closer to the scenery and its visuality, it is more appropriate to use the term environment when studying the processes, relations and interactions related to its composition and materiality.

3. Processes and Practices

Humans sustained their household through a variety of processes and practices, which involved many non-human actors as well. In this context, consumption and production can be considered the primary efforts of the household which take into account various other phenomena, such as rituals (e.g., religious, magical, and secular), manners of care and management (e.g., maintaining residential systems or uses of multiple residences), distribution of work based on gender and social strata, etc. In terms of a household, it is important to note that many of them were established a priori through traditions and documented in instructive texts, architectural renderings, artwork, resulting in recurring annual practices. They can be researched both theoretically through written sources, and experimentally.

Mission of statement

To promote engagement with multidisciplinary perspectives and the development of new approaches for research on:

  • courts as households
  • households as environment
  • environment(s) as a space for lives of all social stratas and species.

Objectives

1. Serves as a network connecting scholars working on research related to the scope of the network via a directory of researchers.

2 Interdisciplinary discussions through theoretical, thematic and practical knowledge exchange activities, including:

  • lectures, seminars and webinars  
  • research and skills workshops
  • conferences
  • publications

Timeline of Outputs

  • Invited lectures, seminars and webinars will consist of one or more speakers and organised once/twice a year.
  • Conferences will be organised once every two/three years, resulting in the publication of papers in Open Access journals and/or monographs.
  • The network outputs will focus primarily on activities done in order to satisfy the needs of a household.

Affiliation and home

The HES network will be featured and promoted on the Institute of History of the CAS’s website together with the Research Centre of Courts and Residences. The network will be presented an integral part of the development of new approaches of courts and household studies within environmental and broader social contexts.

Organisation and structure

HES Team

doc. PhDr. Dana Dvořáčková-Malá, Ph.D.

Ing. Mgr. Michal Vokurka, Ph.D.

Mgr. Bc. Zuzana Vařáková

Dr Dustin M. Neighbors, MA, PhD, FRHistS

Mgr. Pavel Drnovský, Ph.D.

Partners

The network will have interdisciplinary and international partners. These partners will help enhance the interdisciplinary and inclusive nature of the network, while strengthening its visibility and impact by providing support and guidance through:

  • promoting the network and its activities
  • participating in meetings and events
  • recommending scholars, research publications and institutions for the network and its events