Sowing Knowledge across Continents: Prof. Vanesa Miseres Explores Botanical and Feminist Connections in Berlin

Professor Vanesa Miseres reading a book at the Berlin Botanical Garden Library (July 2024).

This past summer, Vanesa Miseres, associate professor of Spanish in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, was supported by a Nanovic faculty grant and a grant from the Initiative on Race and Resilience to explore Berlin archives, uncovering transcontinental connections between European and Latin American women through botany and horticulture.

Prof. Vanesa Miseres' research illuminates the often-overlooked role of botanical education in advancing women’s empowerment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, emphasizing its significance in feminist discourse. This research forms part of Miseres' upcoming book project on gender and scientific education. During her stay, she examined the works of pioneering women such as Ilse von Rentzel, a German naturalist who documented South American botany, and Elvira Castner, a horticulture writer and activist whose Berlin-based school influenced Latin American women educators like Elvira Rawson and Clorinda Matto de Turner.

Through meticulous study of archival materials —including magazines, books, and letters housed in institutions like the Botanischen Garten Bibliothek, the Iberoamerican Institute, and the Prussian Secret State Archives— Miseres uncovered the vibrant dialogues and tensions surrounding women’s botanical education. Her findings highlight debates in both European and Latin American contexts about the empowerment of women through horticulture, a topic that evoked both advocacy and backlash in the press.

Satirical illustration of women gardeners from Deutsche Gärtner-Zeitung (1909), consulted at the Botanischen Garten Bibliothek. — Satirical illustration of women gardeners from *Deutsche Gärtner-Zeitung* (1909), consulted at the Botanischen Garten Bibliothek.

The visual and written works Miseres consulted also revealed the challenges women faced, often being caricatured as "masculinized" or "provocative" for their involvement in manual or scientific work. These insights will shape a chapter in her forthcoming book, focusing on Elvira Castner’s influence on Latin American women’s educational practices.

This transnational research enriches European studies by bridging the gap between continents and reframing scientific education through a feminist lens. Prof. Miseres' work not only underscores the interconnectedness of European and Latin American women in shaping modern education but also contributes to decolonizing the history of botanical sciences.

Photographs of Elvira Castner’s horticulture school from Berliner Leben (October 1907). — Photographs of Elvira Castner’s horticulture school from *Berliner Leben* (October 1907).

Stay tuned for more insights as Prof. Miseres continues her research, including a visit to Buenos Aires, where she will explore how Castner’s legacy influenced horticultural education in South America.

Originally published by Vanesa Miseres at nanovic.nd.edu on December 11, 2024.