Biography

Maria Cristina Dias Joanaz de Melo has a PhD in History and Civilisations, subfield of Environmental History, from the European University Institute in Florence (2010) and a master’s degree in Contemporary History from NOVA FCSH focusing on 19th century contemporary history.

In 2017 she edited, together with Estelita vaz and Ligia Pinto, the book Environmental history in the making (Springer, 2 Vols), a publication that resulted from the II World Conference In Environmental History ICEHO, Guimarães 2014, (International Consortium for Environmental History Organisation).

A researcher at the IHC since 2011, her main research interests are the study of hunting, water, and forestry resources in the 18th and 19th centuries in Portugal and Europe. Methodologically, she works on aspects of landscape reading methodologies in historical perspective. She is currently working on a post-doctoral project at the IHC entitled “Managing public property and resources of common use – water“. She is also interested in applied history in the way that research can be useful for planning the future in environmental matters. Since 2016, she has been a guest researcher on the research project “The co-evolution Guimarães Urban Ladscape: Relations between man and water resources (1853-2001)“, coordinated by Paulo Ramísio (Coord.).

Research fields

• Environmental history
• History of landscapes and natural resources (18th-19th C)
• Landscape reading methodologies
• Applied history

Selected publications

• Vaz, Estelita, Cristina Joanaz de Melo & Lígia M. Costa Pinto (Ed.). Environmental History in the Making – Volume I: Explaining. Basel: Springer International Publishing, 2017. [link]
• Joanaz de Melo, Cristina, Estelita Vaz & Lígia M. Costa Pinto (Ed.). Environmental History in the Making – Volume II: Acting. Basel: Springer International Publishing, 2017. [link]
• Joanaz de Melo, Cristina. An Analysis of the Royal Preserves in Portugal. Issues of Privilege, Power, Management and Conflict. Sheffield: Wildtrack Publishing, 2015. [link]
• Joanaz de Melo, Cristina, Ana Isabel Queiroz, Luís Espinha da Silveira & Ian D. Rotherham (Ed.). Between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic: Responses to Climate and weather Conditions Throughout History. Sheffield: Wildtrack Publishing, 2013. [link]

Main projects

• Researcher in the project “The co-evolution Guimarães Urban Landscape: Relations between man and water resources (1853-2001)” — Coordinated by Paulo Ramísio (EEUM). 2016-2017 [link]