Abstract This article traces the historical co‐evolution of microbiology, bacteriology, and virology, framed within industrial and agricultural contexts, as well as their role in colonial and national history between the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century. The epistemology of germ theory, coupled with the economic interests of European colonies, has shaped the understanding of human‐microbial relationships in a reductionist way. We explore a brief history of the medical and biological sciences, focusing on microbes and the difficulty of implementing germ theory outside of biology laboratories. Furthermore, we highlight the work of Lynn Margulis, who conceptualized microbes within their ecological contexts. Such research shows the active role microbes play in handling life‐sustaining biological and biochemical processes. We outline how the industrial and technological advancements of the last two centuries not only impacted almost all human societies, but also changed the world on microbial, biological, and geological levels. The narration of these histories is a complex task, and depends on how national, international, and intergovernmental institutions (such as the World Health Organization) conceive of the selective environmental pressures exerted by industry and biotechnological companies.

中文翻译：

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微生物的历史和政治认识论


摘要 本文追溯了微生物学、细菌学和病毒学在工业和农​​业背景下的历史共同演化，以及它们在 19 世纪末至 20 世纪头几十年间殖民和国家历史中的作用。细菌理论的认识论，加上欧洲殖民地的经济利益，以还原论的方式塑造了对人类微生物关系的理解。我们探索医学和生物科学的简史，重点关注微生物以及在生物实验室之外实施细菌理论的困难。此外，我们还重点介绍了林恩·马古利斯 (Lynn Margulis) 的工作，她在生态环境中概念化了微生物。此类研究表明微生物在维持生命的生物和生化过程中发挥着积极作用。我们概述了过去两个世纪的工业和技术进步如何不仅影响了几乎所有人类社会，而且还在微生物、生物和地质层面上改变了世界。讲述这些历史是一项复杂的任务，取决于国家、国际和政府间机构（例如世界卫生组织）如何看待工业和生物技术公司施加的选择性环境压力。