In the last couple of decades, history of the humanities has crystalized as a vibrant field of study and received broad international attention. This is particularly true in Sweden, where the history of the humanities has become prevalent in recent years, thanks in part also to widespread interest in the history of knowledge. Although, as a form of integrative platform, history of the humanities has opened up many new lines of inquiry, its full potential is far from reached. For one thing, thorough empirical investigations of the humanities’ social impact from a long historical perspective are needed. While Swedish scholars have made attempts to address issues of impact, these have typically been focused on the circulation of humanistic knowledge and its presence on public arenas in the postwar period. In this presentation, we will instead focus on the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although this period repeatedly has been referred to as a “golden age” of the humanities, we have limited knowledge about the distinct conditions and mechanisms that enabled a strong social contract for the humanities. Here, we will draw from ongoing research projects concerning career paths and publication patterns to highlight examples of how Swedish humanists filled crucial functions in a wider ecosystem of knowledge stretching far beyond universities.
Suggested reading: Isak Hammar & Hampus Östh Gustafsson, “Futures of the History of the Humanities: An Introduction”, History of Humanities 8, no. 2 (2023), pp. 177–187, https://doi.org/10.1086/726361 (available with open access at: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/726361)