Critical consideration of the interrelationships between ecologies and ephemeral architectures sets the stage for the theme of the third conference, "Imperialism" (April 14-15, 2023), which will address ephemeral architecture and its the imperial transformations in the Caribbean and South America and the larger early modern Atlantic world. Participating scholars in this conference will use studies of ephemeral architecture, especially thatched roofs, to focus attention on processes of imperialism (and other power dynamics) and it impact on landscape transformation relating to Indigenous and Black Americans.  In particular, this conference will highlight the complex ways in which authorities impacted, transformed, and were transformed by, long standing ecological practices and ephemeral architectural knowledge. In doing so, the conference underscores the vital role of ephemeral architecture, such as thatched roofs, in telling histories, even that of global empires, and thus is a reminder of the critical need for the study and preservation of this “Forgotten Canopy.”(April 14-15, 2023)

Conference series hosted by the UCLA Center for 17th and 18th Century Studies and the William Andrew Clark Memorial Library and is co-organized by Stella Nair (UCLA) and Paul Niell (Florida State University)

Submitted by Paul Niell