Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies

From the very first landing in a bounteous tropical world, European wonderment in the face of so many marvels naturally possessed a dimension that strived for knowledge and tried to conjoin a new world with old and antiquarian knowledge in a very reductionist fashion. Is Alexander von Humboldt there...

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Main Author: Ottmar Ette
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Iberoamericana / Vervuert 2014-06-01
Series:Iberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.iai.spk-berlin.de/index.php/iberoamericana/article/view/967
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author Ottmar Ette
author_facet Ottmar Ette
author_sort Ottmar Ette
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description From the very first landing in a bounteous tropical world, European wonderment in the face of so many marvels naturally possessed a dimension that strived for knowledge and tried to conjoin a new world with old and antiquarian knowledge in a very reductionist fashion. Is Alexander von Humboldt therefore merely a new, a “second Columbus,” as he was so often described in the further course of the history of his reception? Does he simply repeat the gestures and res gestae for which the great discoverers had already set the example and in a way even predetermined? Are Humboldt and Bonpland thus caught in the trap of the perception of the other in occidental culture that enters the gray area of colonial expansion and an imperial(ist) view?
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spelling doaj.art-90a080dcf4f2426594361cdd1985e4862022-12-21T22:58:06ZengIberoamericana / VervuertIberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal1577-33882255-520X2014-06-015208510810.18441/ibam.5.2005.20.85-108643Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea StudiesOttmar EtteFrom the very first landing in a bounteous tropical world, European wonderment in the face of so many marvels naturally possessed a dimension that strived for knowledge and tried to conjoin a new world with old and antiquarian knowledge in a very reductionist fashion. Is Alexander von Humboldt therefore merely a new, a “second Columbus,” as he was so often described in the further course of the history of his reception? Does he simply repeat the gestures and res gestae for which the great discoverers had already set the example and in a way even predetermined? Are Humboldt and Bonpland thus caught in the trap of the perception of the other in occidental culture that enters the gray area of colonial expansion and an imperial(ist) view?http://journals.iai.spk-berlin.de/index.php/iberoamericana/article/view/967Alexander von HumboldtAmerican HemisphereIdentityTravel
spellingShingle Ottmar Ette
Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies
Iberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal
Alexander von Humboldt
American Hemisphere
Identity
Travel
title Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies
title_full Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies
title_fullStr Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies
title_full_unstemmed Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies
title_short Alexander von Humboldt: The American Hemisphere and TransArea Studies
title_sort alexander von humboldt the american hemisphere and transarea studies
topic Alexander von Humboldt
American Hemisphere
Identity
Travel
url http://journals.iai.spk-berlin.de/index.php/iberoamericana/article/view/967
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