A vision of European landscapes: an interview with Kenneth Olwig

Hans Renes

doi:10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405

E-ISSN: 2452-1051

oa A vision of European landscapes: an interview with Kenneth Olwig
By Hans Renes^1,2
View Affiliations Hide Affiliations

Affiliations: ¹ Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands ² Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Publisher: Amsterdam University Press
Source: Journal of European Landscapes, Volume 1, Issue 1, May 2020, p. 5 - 8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405
Language: English
- Published online: 01 May 2020

Preview this article:

There is no abstract available.

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405

2020-05-01

2024-11-08

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/24521051/1/1/JEL.2020.1.48405.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

/content/journals/10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405

A vision of European landscapes: an interview with Kenneth Olwig

JEL 1, 5 (2020); https://doi.org/10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405

/content/journals/10.5117/JEL.2020.1.48405

Data & Media loading...

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

In Memoriam Hans Renes

On the 28th of September we had to say farewell to Prof. Dr. Johannes (Hans) Renes at the age of 68. As founder of the Journal of European Landscapes his knowledge, enthusiasm and extensive international network have been of great importance in the vulnerable early phase of the journal. All over Europe Hans will be missed, and we are thankfull to share this im memoriam with you, written by prof. Karl Martin Born, chair of the Permanent European Conference for the Study of the Rural Landscape (PECSRL) where Hans was a member of the board.

Between 1972 and 1979 Hans studied Social geography at Utrecht University where he specialised in historical geography. Further steps in his career led him to Wageningen where Jelle Vervloet supervised his PhD Thesis on the historical landscapes in Limbourg. In 1998 he moved to Utrecht University researching and teaching on historical geography, landscape research and landscape heritage studies. Since 2002 he also taught at Free University Amsterdam; from 2011 until 2013 he held a Professorial Chair in Heritage Studies at VU.

It no exaggeration to say that he was one of the main representatives of Dutch Historical Geography – not to say of European Historical Geography as many of his publications focus on European Landscapes with their similarities, differences and development paths. Hans had a profound interest in applied historical geography, landscape planning and landscape history; in the Netherlands with its strong relationship between heritage and spatial planning he not only contributed significantly to the education and training of planners but also served as a consultant to various public bodies.

Hans was devoted to international and interdisciplinary cooperation, most notably in his commitment to boards of various associations focussing on historical geography: the Arbeitskreis für Historische Kulturlandschaftsforschung in Mitteleuropa (Germany), EucaLand Network (Paris), Netwerk Historisch Cultuurlandschap (Dutch network of historical geographers and landscape historians) and of course the Permanent European Conference for the Study of the rural Landscape. He also served as Editor or Co-Editor of various journals on historical geography and landscape studies. His insights and leadership were valued by colleagues around the world. He believed fervently in the collaborative nature of scholarship and worked tirelessly to foster meaningful connections among scholars, researchers, students, planners and the general public.

His academic oeuvre includes small-scale research in order to identify all factors shaping and changing the landscapes in greatest detail and also comparative work to foster the investigation of general driving forces in the landscape.

Many of you will remember Hans as a gentle and compassionate colleague who enlightened us not only with many presentations and papers at various PECSRL-Conferences but also encouraged us (and esp. younger researchers) to press on with our work (I remember at least two occasions when he gave me the right advice). As PECSRL Conferences always had a strong social element you may remember him as an entertaining conversation partner.

His work will continue to inspire generations of scholars, planners and landscape enthusiasts. His memory will endure as a beacon of excellence and dedication. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy will live on through his work and the many geographers, landscape researchers and planners he educated.

A memorial service to celebrate the life and achievements of Prof. Dr. Johannes Renes will be held on 6 October in Asperen.

He may rest in peace.

Karl Martin Born

oa A vision of European landscapes: an interview with Kenneth Olwig

Most Read This Month

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

The place of archaeology in integrated cultural landscape management

The CHeriScape project, 2014–2016: key messages from CHeriScape – cultural solutions for cultural problems

Preserving and Sustainably Governing Cultural Heritage and Landscapes in European Coastal and Maritime Regions (PERICLES)

A refined literature review to promote sustainable development through integrated frameworks in the European landscape

The experience of common European heritage: A critical discourse analysis of tourism practices at Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe

Ridge-and-Furrow Agriculture around Lake Mikri Prespa, Greece, in a European perspective

Educational Strategies in Cultural Landscapes. Are we complying with the Faro Convention?

Approaches to collaborative landscape analysis and planning

Corridor Talk: Conservation Humanities and the Future of Europe’s National Parks

Emerging gaps in research on agricultural landscapes