The Life of a Nomad and a World Citizen

Alexander von Humboldt, Nomadic Knowledge, and the Global Landscapes of Theory

Bibliographic Data

ID5053160
AuthorsOttmar Ette (0000-0002-9725-946X, corresponding author)
TranslatorsMark Minnes
Year2016
Volume43
Issue2
Pages33-53
Publication date2016-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNew German Critique (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0094-033X • E-ISSN: 1558-1462
PublisherDuke University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1215/0094033x-3511859
OpenAlexW2519438879
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited2

The nomadic thinking in Alexander von Humboldt's American travel journals makes them relevant in the context of global theories. As a theoretician of globalization between words, scientific fields, and worlds, Humboldt explores the dimensions and movements of knowledge through a translingual écriture that connects epistemological modes between ethics and aesthetics. His multirelational research agenda is inspired by movement that aims at creating "polytopia," a scholarly field reflected from various stand-points. Humboldt's writing habits on the move as well as at home have created a materiality of writing inscribed in his travel journals. By interpreting nineteenth-century portraits of him, I show the link between the researcher and his journals, which also underlines his craft of turning handwriting into an iconic theme. Humboldt's works and journals imply a landscape of theory based on ongoing movement, discovery, and exploration

Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Art history · Context (archaeology) · Craft · Epistemology · Field (mathematics) · Handwriting · Inscribed figure · Materiality (auditing) · Movement (music) · Posthumanism · Sociology · Theme (computing) · Visual arts · Alexander von Humboldt Studies · Anthropology · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Historical Geography and Geographical Thought · History · Philosophy

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