Svenja Goltermann | University of Zurich, Switzerland (original) (raw)

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Papers by Svenja Goltermann

Zwei Bucher – ein jungst erschienenes und ein schon alteres – erzahlen von Familien, die aus Oste... more Zwei Bucher – ein jungst erschienenes und ein schon alteres – erzahlen von Familien, die aus Osteuropa nach England oder nach Amerika emigrierten. Sie machen Geschichten der Migration und des Ankommens sichtbar, die keine vorherrschenden Klischees bedienen.

The aim to ‘civilize’ warfare accompanied Medicine and International Law ever since the mid-19th ... more The aim to ‘civilize’ warfare accompanied Medicine and International Law ever since the mid-19th century. However, the entanglement of Medicine and Law, crucial for such an endeavour, has not been taken into consideration so far; likewise, the huge importance of medical knowledge for the perception
of wars and their ramifications did not garner much attention in historical research. Hence, by focusing on the ‘long’ 19th century, this paper shows, firstly, that the production of surgical knowledge during warfare aimed at measuring the effects of combat on human bodies in order to develop prognostic
medical knowledge for future wars, as well as maintaining the combat strength of soldiers. Moreover, this knowledge production during warfare strived for the enhancement of medical competence in the diagnosis and treatment of wounds in general. Secondly, I show that this medical knowledge was not only relevant for warfare, but also crucial for the design of International Law: it served to nourish the debates among the so called ‘civilized’ nations about legitimate and illegitimate weaponry and warfare.

Wissen, was Recht ist, 2015

Dieser esonDerDruck Darf nur zu persönlichen zwecken unD weDer Direkt noch inDirekt für elektroni... more Dieser esonDerDruck Darf nur zu persönlichen zwecken unD weDer Direkt noch inDirekt für elektronische publikationen Durch Die Verfasserin oDer Den Verfasser Des beitrags genutzt werDen.

Investoren in den USAb ringen sich zurzeit in Position, um von einer weiteren quantitativen geldp... more Investoren in den USAb ringen sich zurzeit in Position, um von einer weiteren quantitativen geldpolitischen Lockerung zu profitieren.

This paper evaluates disaster medicine from a historical perspective that facilitates the underst... more This paper evaluates disaster medicine from a historical perspective that facilitates the understanding of its present. Today, disaster medicine and humanitarian medicine are inextricably linked and the terms are sometimes used synonymously. An in-depth analysis of an extensive body of concrete empirical cases from various sources (i.e. archival records) reveals, however, that they have not always been the same. A genealogical, history-of-knowledge approach demonstrates that the concept of disaster medicine emerged in the early 20th century in Switzerland in the context of industrialization. Even though it gained important impetus during the First World War, the concept was informed by the experiences of forensic physicians in technological disasters such as mining explosions. The Cold War constituted the historical constellation in which disaster medicine was developed in West Germany during the 1960s and 1970s in a way that was paradigmatic for other Western European countries. At the same time, it was contested there in an unusual, historically unique way. Although focusing on a Western European context, this paper explores how medical interventions in disasters were international events and how the practice of disaster medicine was developed and “trained” through being applied in the Global South. It demonstrates the historicity of disaster medicine's political character and of the controversies generated by its involvement in civil and military operations. Throughout the 20th century, the political nature and military involvement of disaster medicine resulted in a number of ethical and practical issues, which are similar to the challenges facing humanitarian medicine today. The exploration of disaster medicine's past can therefore open up critical interventions in humanitarian medicine's present.

European Review of History-revue Europeenne D Histoire, 2004

In the nineteenth century the German Turner movement used bodily exercise as a programme for nati... more In the nineteenth century the German Turner movement used bodily exercise as a programme for national improvement. This was not only directed at the self‐cultivation of the individual but was also considered a duty to the nation. Exercise thus incorporated and embodied national identity while enemies within and without demanded ever more exertion. Exercise was also considered the true test for national unity in the face of modern dangers such as immorality and materialism. Both goals were, however, under constant threat, since the ultimate vulnerability rested in the body itself and in the demand for its ultimate perfection.

Edited books by Svenja Goltermann

Reviews by Svenja Goltermann

Und doch bleiben immer wieder Leerstellen Was kann man über sexuelle Gewalt im Krieg wissen? Was ... more Und doch bleiben immer wieder Leerstellen Was kann man über sexuelle Gewalt im Krieg wissen? Was wird von wem beschwiegen, und warum? Und was kann man über diese Gewalt in Erfahrung bringen, wenn das Geschehene Jahrzehnte zurückliegt? Die Historikerin Andrea Pető hat über diese Fragen ein bemerkenswertes Buch geschrieben.

Wissen, was Recht ist, 2015

European Review of History-revue Europeenne D Histoire, 2004