Projects / Programmes
Humanities and the Sense of Humanity from Historical and Contemporary Viewpoints
January 1, 2022
- December 31, 2027
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.10.00 |
Humanities |
Philosophy |
|
| 6.06.00 |
Humanities |
Culturology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.03 |
Humanities |
Philosophy, Ethics and Religion |
| 6.05 |
Humanities |
Other humanities |
interdisciplinary humanities, humanity, culture, science, philosophy, ethics, history, ancient studies, language, literature, arts, society, digital technologies, ideology, media, cultural heritage, identity, memory, testimony, phenomenology, hermeneutics, Slovenia, Europe, global justice.
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
April 22, 2024;
A3 for period
2018-2022
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
60 |
31 |
24 |
0.4 |
| Scopus |
97 |
74 |
54 |
0.56 |
Researchers (14)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The fundamental aim of the research program is to develop the interdisciplinary perspective of research in the field of humanist studies, upon the basis of which it would be possible not only to define more clearly the role of the humanities in contemporary society, but also to raise more decisively the question of the situation of humanity today with regard both to the existential as well as the co-existential perspective. The development of interdisciplinary humanities is in the concretization of the program not limited to establishing external connections between different fields of humanist studies or linking the humanities with other scientific fields, but its predominant task concerns the elaboration of a conceptual topology. Within the framework of the establishment of interdisciplinarily oriented conceptual topology, the applicative possibilities of humanist knowledge can be outlined in a clear manner, especially regarding the fields of art, culture, education, social criticism, the media, and digital technologies. At the beginning of the 21st century, the humanities face other kinds of research challenges than in the past, when the scientific, academic, and cultural development was to a great extent limited, and also restricted, either by national or ideological concerns. Of course, this does not diminish the relevance of past humanist achievements; on the contrary, the critical discussion of national agendas and ideological influences has presented one of the crucial thematic emphases both within the newer development of the humanities after WWII as well as the research program here at stake. However, it is of immense importance that the humanities today dedicate appropriate attention to the confrontation with post-national and post-ideological effects, which represent the fundamental determinants of our "history after history" and of our "humanity after humanity," and on the local level as well as on a global scale present new forms of the enforcement of social power and domination with explicitly manipulative pretensions. Upon the basis of the proposed framework, it is possible to analytically approach the structural discussion of actual social and cultural processes, about which we are being constantly and extensively informed, the form of which, however, remains more or less concealed. Therefore, precisely the interdisciplinary humanist research must fully develop not only the conceptual, but also its communicative foundations. The latter do not entail only the functional usage of digital tools, but, above all, the existential susceptibility for the interpersonal in-between, communio. This represents the leading principle for the activities within the execution of the research program, which have been planned with regard to the mutual permeating of the aspects of historicity and contemporaneity, culture and society, science and art, individuality and collectivity, freedom and justice.
Significance for science
Research in the field of interdisciplinary humanities is often limited to the presentation of individual research results, whilst the conceptualization of knowledge remains in the state of suggestions and presuppositions. Consequently, the results of interdisciplinary humanist research are frequently defined by weak conceptual usage. Therefore, it should be specifically emphasized that interdisciplinary research necessarily needs to entail the interconceptual dimension of the establishment of humanist knowledge. In the discussion of a subject matter, the cooperation between historiography, philosophy, history of literature and of art, linguistics, jurisprudence, theology, pedagogy, geography, economy, political science, sociology, etc., by itself does not yet offer the level of interdisciplinary humanist research, which would systematically include the mutual inter-effectuation between concepts themselves. With regard to the selection of methods, it should be emphasized that in the field of humanist research it is not possible to represent a unified and only one methodical approach, if we do not want to obfuscate the difference between the levels of interpretation and of understanding. Attempting to approach something, whilst we interpretively present it, we always already represent an understanding. In this respect, humanist knowledge always necessarily entails axiological critique. One of the primordial values is the linguistic articulation that does not only concern the correspondence between the order of enunciation and the order of phenomenality, but affects the very becoming-apparent of sense as such, which we respond to and to which we are responsible even before all signification. The methodology of the humanities incorporates both the aspect of the research approach as well as the aspect of the scientific access; as such, it is of formative value not only for individual scientific disciplines, but also for interdisciplinary connections between them. The latter can doubtlessly in an essential manner stimulate the formation of new fields of knowledge, yet simultaneously also indicate the problems of the conception of knowledge and of its (anticipated) application, e.g., in the pedagogical processes on all the stages of education, in the media and online communication, as well as in the organization and execution of numerous social and cultural activities. However, it must be taken into account that the applicability of humanist knowledge is already always inscribed into conceptual perception, reception, and communication. For the discussion in the field of interdisciplinary humanities, this circumstance is of special relevance, insofar as it, on the basis of the context of understanding, leads to the possibility of mutual understanding between various realms of human and social sciences or of scientific research in general. Therefore, it is necessary to conceptually incorporate the stipulation and the determination of mutual understanding into the very core of interdisciplinary humanist research. It is, thus, not only important what we attempt to understand and explain through the process of interpretation, but also that, with regard to which we, on the basis of interpretive and argumentative procedures, we mutually understand and agree amongst ourselves. Humanist knowledge can never be "scientifically neutral"; on the contrary, it always conveys a value, for everyone who partakes in it. The axiological aspect of humanist knowledge and the intersubjective participation in knowledge communication is today of utmost relevance also for the broader social debate, especially in respect to the general informatization of research activities. The circumstance, according to which humanist research cannot assume a neutral stance, does not derive from a lack of "the critical distance" or from an abandonment of objectivity and verity regarding its assertions. The humanities are, however, determined by an awareness of the intersubjective determination through the contemporality of effectuation that directly concerns also the criteria of scientific critique; the awareness with respect to the question, who upholds the said criteria. For interdisciplinary humanities in particular, "the critical distance" does not entail the abstention from defining values, since this would lead to the blockade of critical communication. Values cannot by themselves be uncritical, yet become such, insofar as they are denied their positive or negative role within interpersonal communication and social discussion. Of course, one cannot disavow the value of communication and understanding for humanity and sociality as such. The aspect of mutual understanding possesses, insofar as we define it in the sense of contemporal effectuation, a crucial role in the establishment of the social or political consensus, which is always determined through the relationship of freedom and justice.
Significance for the country
One of the central principles in the execution of the research program concerns the determination and promotion of the role of the humanities in the fields of research, culture, education, and the media as well as online communication in Slovenian and international environment. In this respect, special attention is dedicated to a comprehensive critical discussion of the social situation in Slovenia in the period after the attainment of independence, with regard to which also critical round table discussions are being regularly organized within the framework of the program. Likewise, emphasis is given to specific aspects of the Slovenian political, cultural, national, and formational heritage, not only in the historical perspective, but also in view of its influence on the actual social debates in the country. The round table discussions entitled "The Present for the Future" attempt to outline the perspectives of the further development of Slovenia as a member state of the European Union and as a part of inter-regional associations, such as the Alps-Adriatic region, Central Europe, Southeast Europe, and the Mediterranean. In the course of the execution of the program, we will continue to organize international conferences dedicated to the discussion of political, cultural, and economic developmental perspectives of the mentioned European regions. In this respect, the determining factor remains the continuing constitution of the European Union, within which national and regional developmental perspectives take place. The leader and members of the program group are also active in the fields of culture, higher education, and the media, which offers further support to the execution of the research program, especially regarding the application of humanist knowledge. In this context, worth mentioning are not only the beneficial influences on the quality of academic study programs, but also the publication of works in the broad field of the humanities, the digital communication, the development of mobile and online application with the purpose of the promotion of Slovenian natural and cultural heritage, the support to the public use of the Slovenian language and to the simultaneous development of multilinguality. Within the framework of the organization of critical round table discussions and symposia attention is dedicated also to the humanist and sociological aspects of economic, ecological, political, social, cultural, scientific, and educational development of Slovenia, as well as to the promotion of Slovenia in the international environment. The leader and members of the research group participate in various commissions and committees for the management of cultural activities, the media, the use of Slovenian language, and the development of higher education. It must be accentuated that the development of interdisciplinary humanities directly concerns the foundation for the establishment of connections between cultural, educational, research, and informational-communicational activities, which have to a great extent in Slovenian hitherto been neglected, which has had a negative impact not only on the developmental perspectives of different social sectors, but also on the employment possibilities of students graduating in the fields of the humanities and social sciences.
