Project description
Exploring sewers through heritage, archaeology, and ecocriticism
London’s sewer system, a legacy of the Victorian era, was designed by Chief Engineer Joseph Bazalgette in response to the Great Stink of 1858. While it has stood the test of time, rapid population growth has led to millions of tonnes of untreated sewage overflowing into the Thames each year, posing serious environmental risks. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SE-HHLUI project explores sewers as technical infrastructures and integral parts of London’s urban heritage. Specifically, it examines the ecological impact of waste management, shedding light on how these systems shape both our past and our future, offering insights into modern infrastructure challenges and climate adaptation.
Objective
Thousands of kilometres of tunnels run under the streets of London, keeping waste contained and concealed. London inherited this sewerage system from the Victorians, most notably Chief Engineer Joseph Bazalgette, prompted by the Great Stink of 1858. While it has endured remarkably well, population growth means that tens of millions of tonnes of untreated sewage now overflow into the Thames every year, posing a serious environmental threat. This project moves beyond sewers as purely technical infrastructures to consider the relationship between public attitudes to waste and pollution, and the material dynamics of waste management from the Victorian era to the present daya topic that is particularly relevant considering the growing effects of waste in the Anthropocene. Its main objective is to examine sewers as integral parts of Londons urban heritage, through the interdisciplinary lens of heritage studies, contemporary archaeology, ecocriticism, and urban studies, bringing them together within the scope of the environmental humanities as an ecology of sewers. Such an ecology can shed light on how infrastructures produce heritage legacies that engage humans, nonhumans, and the environment, and have ramifications for what it means to live in the contemporary city. In doing so, a form of urban infrastructural heritage that is concealed yet emergent can be unveiled. This knowledge can further aid cities in solving complex problems relating to global challenges such as clean waterways, climate adaptation, and infrastructure modernisation. Much like climate change itself, ecologies are difficult to envision and need to be actively sought out. A deeper understanding of Londons sewers, from the creation of its sewerage system to the present day, can address the question of what it means to live alongside these legacies, and demonstrate the relevance of crafting futures that acknowledge their role in our co-constructed, shared world.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences pollution
- humanities history and archaeology archaeology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.