Humanism between Ideal and Ideology

Reflecting on the “human human being” in Karl Marx’s early writings (Ökonomisch-philosophische Manuskripte, 1844), and extending to present-day discourses on neo-, post-, and transhumanism, the project investigates the contested notion and legacy of Humanism and analyses its contemporary potential for art history, aesthetics, and political philosophy. At a time when a reconsideration of the relationship to the non-human is essential, the project asks how the concept informs, if not transforms, our understanding of the human. This requires examining the often-contradictory images and figures of the human that have been shaped by interpretations of humanism, or formulated in opposition to them, and that continue to exert influence today. This includes normative aesthetic paradigms which shape the modes of depicting and conceptualising the human figure within the visual arts. Significantly, some of the most influential and controversial redefinitions of Humanism emerged during the darkest chapters of the twentieth century. From its appropriation in nationalist and totalitarian ideologies – where notions such as the “New Man” fuelled fascist and communist mythologies – to responses of resistance or despair in the face of systemic dehumanisation, the legacy of Humanism remains entangled within both emancipatory and oppressive historical trajectories alike. More broadly, the project fosters a transdisciplinary dialogue that revisits Humanism as a multifaceted artistic, aesthetic, and intellectual tradition, and as a contested normative set of values. By tracing its varied appropriations and critiques across ideological, cultural, and geographical boundaries, the aim is to open up a space for nuanced reflection on the enduring – and evolving – questions that Humanism continues to pose.