A hot autumn at A.R.O.

After a summer of record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather events, fall finally seems to be making its way in. Nevertheless, in the Trentino corridors of the Italian-German Historical Institute—whatever happens—the new season is always ushered in by the second issue of A.R.O., the biannual online journal that offers an overview of the latest research in historiography.

In fact, one of the reviewers in this issue, Matteo Stroppiana, writes that global warming itself has sparked greater interest in climate history, driving an increase in historical studies on the subject. The text he presents, “The Empire of Climate: A History of an Idea” (2024) by historian David N. Livingstone, offers a long-term analysis of climate studies from the early modern to the contemporary era, striving to avoid climate determinism while exploring its relationship to health, the mind, wealth, and war.

A similar theme—though focused on the Iberian Empires from the 14th to the 19th century—is explored in a collection of essays edited by Koldo Trápaga Monchet, Álvaro Aragón-Ruano, and Cristina Joanaz de Melo (reviewed by Katia Occhi). While acknowledging that the concept of “sustainability” was foreign to early modern language, this volume attempts to identify practices aimed at resource conservation and renewal. It does so by studying forest regulation, timber censuses, reforestation efforts, the discovery of new supply areas, and administrative lumber controls promoted by the Iberian crowns across several centuries.

Likewise—this time among the contemporary offerings—the winner of the Reginald Zelnik Book Prize in History, “Burning Swamps: Peat and the Forgotten Margins of Russia’s Fossil Economy” by Katja Bruisch, analyzes the social and environmental consequences of extracting an energy resource that long remained marginal compared to coal and oil: peat. Kateryna Burkush’s review emphasizes how the study makes a vital contribution to the social and environmental history of the fossil economy: focusing on the margins once again allows for a better understanding of the interdependencies among energy, environmental transformations, and Russian society from the late 19th century to the post-Soviet period.

It is impossible to cover all 32 recommendations featured in the new issue of A.R.O. in such a short space, though the Editorial always carries out this task admirably. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be fair to deprive readers of the pleasure of browsing and getting inspired by the covers, the titles, and what the experts have to say. This is especially true because what heated up the atmosphere in this latest release was one of the lead reviews in the Forum—the section dedicated to multiple authors reviewing a single volume or, as in the previous issue, multiple perspectives tackling a single topic. Indeed, one of the historians felt the need to respond to the review of his work; consequently, the journal published his response on the review‘s dedicated page. It is a sign that scholarly research still thrives on the freedom to debate, respond, and test different interpretations. At the same time, it shows that A.R.O. is a space for active, lively, and—an aspect not to be taken for granted these days—democratic engagement.