Freie Universität Berlin

Arts, knowledge, truth: Understanding Cultural Diversity

What leads to cultural diversity and exchange between societies?

From the very first days of humankind, people have sought contact with one another. They interact, travel, argue, learn from one another, and develop new ideas together. Researchers working on “Transforming Globalities: Aesthetics, Knowledge, Materialities” investigate how cultures change over the course of history, how they engage with each other and interconnect – from antiquity to the present. They are especially interested in how interactions between cultures lead to new forms of artistic expression, new knowledge, and different understandings of truth.

How do art, knowledge, and material culture shape our understanding of the world?

Scholars from a range of disciplines, including art history, literary studies, philosophy, archaeology, and more, are working together to find answers from across different historical periods and disciplines. They make connections between different perspectives, compare source materials, and increasingly use digital tools and methods to reveal cultural connections and rethink how we interpret knowledge.

Why are the humanities so important for society in today’s world?

Now more than ever researchers are promoting knowledge production that is open, critical, and comprehensible in an effort to counter political and ideological forces around the world that endanger scientific knowledge itself. By bringing cultural diversity to the fore and explaining historical connections, researchers foster exchange between different cultural and social perspectives – something that democratic societies depend upon.