Capitalism has been getting more and more attention from environmental historians lately, and it seems a good time to assess its role in our field, as comprehensively and objectively as possible. This symposium is open to all perspectives and to such subjects as trade in endangered species, green energy innovation, the quality of the human work environment, and mass consumption. It may include capitalism as a lens for viewing nature or may consider its conflicts and commonalities with socialist cultures, economies, and environmental policies. Does modern environmental history, we want to ask, offer a more mature understanding of capitalism than 19th century industrialization did? How has capitalism evolved in attitudes or practices over time? To what extent has the history of capitalism been shaped by environmental differences?

The symposium features five environmental historians from China and five from the US.

The evening session (April 23) is in English, and the morning session (April 24) is in Chinese.

Host: The Center for Ecological History, Renmin University of China, Beijing; and the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, LMU, Munich.

Date: 21:00-23:30 EST (9:00-11:30, Beijing time, April 24), April 23; and 2:00-5:00 EST (14:00-17:00, Beijing time),

April 24 Speakers: Kate Brown, Chengshuang Fu, Bozhong Li, Xueqin Mei, Adam Rome, Christine Rosen, Mark Stoll, Donald Worster, Mingfang Xia, and Shi Xie

Moderator: Shen Hou