Empire has long been considered a crucible in which the sciences of nature were formed. The radically different environments, places, and forms of life that Europeans encountered as they expanded their territorial reach overseas — and the exotic organisms that accompanied returning explorers and collectors to Europe — exploded standard understandings of nature and the world, ushering in new theories, methods, and practices for knowing nature. This course will engage literature on the science of nature since the early modern period, with a particular focus on the 18th and 19th centuries, in the context of European imperial exploration, expansion, and violence. Particular attention will be paid to the roles of indigenous knowers, knowledge systems, theories, and practices in shaping modern understandings and sciences of nature.