The Life of a Nomad and a World Citizen: Alexander von Humboldt, Nomadic Knowledge, and the Global Landscapes of Theory

The nomadic thinking in Alexander von Humboldt's American travel journals makes them relevant in the context of global theories. As a theoretician of globalization between words, scientific fields, and worlds, Humboldt explores the dimensions and movements of knowledge through a translingual écriture that connects epistemological modes between ethics and aesthetics. His multirelational research agenda is inspired by movement that aims at creating “polytopia,” a scholarly field reflected from various stand-points. Humboldt's writing habits on the move as well as at home have created a materiality of writing inscribed in his travel journals. By interpreting nineteenth-century portraits of him, I show the link between the researcher and his journals, which also underlines his craft of turning handwriting into an iconic theme. Humboldt's works and journals imply a landscape of theory based on ongoing movement, discovery, and exploration.