ICAS:MP Lecture “Beyond Shipwreck: Salvage and Global History in the Long Nineteenth Century” with Roland Wenzlhuemer | 10 March
Date: 10th March 2026
Time: 6 PM
Venue: Lecture Room 1, IIC Annexe, Delhi
Title: “Beyond Shipwreck: Salvage and Global History in the Long Nineteenth Century”
Speaker: Prof. Roland Wenzlhuemer (Global History, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich/ Käte Hamburger Research Centre global dis:connect)
Discussant: Radhika Singha (Prof. retd. JNU, Visiting Professor Department of History and Archaeology, Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence)
Abstract:
Historiography has long centered on oceans and seas, especially within Global History, which underscores the connective role of these vast maritime spaces. This scholarly attention naturally encompasses the study of navigation, ship construction, and maritime infrastructure. At the same time, Global History has consistently addressed the perils and unpredictability inherent to seafaring, from the so-called Age of Exploration into the twentieth century. Maritime accidents — from minor mishaps to devastating catastrophes — constitute a core subject within maritime historiography. Scholars have examined both the disruptive consequences of such events and the emergence of safety mechanisms and insurance frameworks designed to protect passengers and financial stakeholders.
Yet what became of the wreck itself, the lost freight, and the ill-fated crews? What environmental or navigational threats did sunken vessels pose? And what symbolic significance did certain wrecks acquire? This presentation focuses on maritime salvage operations and their relevance to global history. Salvage work, as old as seafaring itself, has primarily sought to retrieve valuable materials or remove hazardous wreckage. At times, such operations also aimed to determine the causes of maritime accidents or to recover vessels bearing particular symbolic weight. In every instance, salvage represents a multifaceted undertaking, encompassing nautical, technical, environmental, and legal complexities. Examining this practice reveals significant insights into the intricate dynamics of global connections and ruptures – and it might even hold a few clues regarding the future of Global History as a field of enquiry.
Bio:
Roland Wenzlhuemer is Professor for Modern History at the University of Munich and one of the directors of the Käte Hamburger Research Centre global dis:connect. His research focuses on global and colonial history.
He has conducted studies on nineteenth-century colonial export economies, the history of global communication networks, and the history of shipping.

OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
sukritimanocha (February 26, 2026). ICAS:MP Lecture “Beyond Shipwreck: Salvage and Global History in the Long Nineteenth Century” with Roland Wenzlhuemer | 10 March. ICAS:MP. Retrieved March 9, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/15rmz

