ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

Advertising Science in Leaflets

• In Event: Mediating Knowledge: Self(re)presentation of a European Scholar Across Political Regimes 2

English Abstract

There are many different ways for advertising. One of the best known are leaflets. They usually use content and graphics (mostly iconographic) elements. Many types of leaflets – posters, brochures, flyers, calendars, folders, post stamps, postcards, theatre programmes, banknotes and others – were used in the past and still are in use to advertise science and scientists. In my presentation I will show many examples covering the last 150 years. I will focus on exact science, especially mathematics. One of the most interesting example is a flyer published in 1877 by Deutsche Illustrirte Zeitung in the propaganda series  "Über Land und Meer".
It was issued on the 150th anniversary of Georg-August University in Göttingen. Another interesting example is the 10-mark banknote of the Deutsche Bundesbank BBK3 series 1993. The iconography of the banknote includes interesting scientific formula, plots, and the illustration of scientific instrument. A large part of the presentation will be devoted to science on the post stamps and postcards. All shown leaflets (including stamps, folders, postcards, special photos and banknote) are taken from Danuta Ciesielska and Krzysztof Ciesielski collection.

Author

• Danuta Ciesielska, Institute for the History of Science Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland