Química, pedagogía y autoridad experta: el Tratado de análisis químico de José Casares Gil (1866-1961) y la construcción de una disciplina científica

Abstract

This article will explore how Jose Casares employed his textbooks and his recognition as expert to consolidate chemical analysis as a discipline in the Spanish universities. First, it will be shown the active role of Casares in the shaping of his textbooks. Thanks to their publications, textbook authors became trusted voices in their disciplines, promoting them in their local contexts. The study of the Casares’ treatise also shows the resources employed to establish his discipline among different publics. Secondly, the article will describe the origin and the evolution of his treatise, as well as its main shaping elements. Finally, the article will examine the strategies developed by Casares to construct a disciplinary identity for analytical chemistry in Spain.