Plant Humanities: Where Arts, Humanities and Plants meet

Plants are essential for human health and well-being - indeed, for our very existence. Plants have long been studied by scientists who have amassed collections of specimens, illustrations, living plants and botanical data in various forms to aid their research. Such scientific collections can be difficult for researchers from other disciplines to access, both physically and intellectually. Yet scholars and creative practitioners from across the arts and humanities are increasingly addressing research topics relating to plants and plant-based knowledge. In some cases, they have joined social scientists and bioscientists in seeking to find answers to challenging and complex questions - such as how to prevent biodiversity loss, how to conserve cultural or natural heritage in sustainable ways or how to render collections more representative of the populations which frequently provide them.

This project will provide an overview of the potential of the Plant Humanities for encouraging and supporting innovative, engaging and interdisciplinary research. It will include (a) arts and humanities research into collections assembled for scientific purposes, such as herbarium specimens and biocultural collections; (b) multi-disciplinary projects involving arts, humanities, social science and science researchers; (c) collaboration between universities, and botanical and heritage institutions with plant-related collections and expertise; and (d) the extension of physical, intellectual, and cultural access to such institutions and their diverse research assets, including dried plant specimens, plant-based artefacts, botanical art, living plants, buildings, archives and libraries.

The term 'Plant Humanities' is a relatively recent coinage. The Plant Humanities Initiative at Dumbarton Oaks (launched September 2018) is a strategic partnership between a major humanities research centre affiliated with Harvard and JSTOR, supported by the Andrew Mellon Foundation. Similar initiatives can be found elsewhere in North America and Europe. Typically they involve researchers from a wide range of arts and humanities disciplines (including fine art, literature, history, science studies, cultural geography, anthropology, archaeology and philosophy), and link scholarly research and creative practice with questions of ecology, environment and nature, with the shared goal of securing wider social benefits.

The project research will inform an evidence-based case for comparable initiatives in the UK, informing the work of AHRC with its own funding capacity and its access to wider funding opportunities. The project will include desk-based research, interviews, site visits and a workshop. The Desk-based research comprises a review of relevant arts and humanities literature; case studies of recent initiatives including the Plant Humanities initiative at Dumbarton Oaks (a project partner) and assessment of related strategic issues facing universities, botanical institutions and research councils. Interviews will be organised with a range of arts and humanities academics in UK universities, and scientists and collections managers in botanical gardens and allied institutes. Site visits will be made to relevant institutes in the USA, Germany and Italy to observe and discuss exemplars in the field. The workshop will take place at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and will involve key stakeholders in relevant arts and humanities disciplines, botanic gardens, libraries, invited international researchers, early career researchers and collaborative PhD students.

The principal output will be a scoping study report which will benefit the AHRC, University researchers and non-HE institutions (principally botanical gardens and museums). Findings will also be disseminated through an open-access article in a peer-reviewed journal and presented in workshops and seminars in the UK. Research and professional communities will be kept informed through digital media.