Histories of Philosophy in a Global Perspective
Database in 26 Languages
The Koselleck Project Histories of Philosophy in a Global Perspective (Hi:Phi), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), set out to analyze the ways in which the history of philosophy is written in a global perspective. Against the background of accelerating globalization and ongoing debates in the humanities, the project critically examined how philosophy became increasingly constructed as an exclusively European enterprise from the late 18th century onwards, and how this narrative obscured the rich entanglements of philosophical traditions across languages and regions. To show the richness of already existing historiogaphies of philosophy worldwide, a database of Histories of Philosophy in 26 languages was established.
Histories of Philosophy in Different Languages
World Histories of Philosophy in Different Languages
Hi:Phi investigated mechanisms of exclusion in the canonization of philosophy, explored the intersections of philosophy with philologies such as Indology, Sinology, Japanology, Arabic and Jewish Studies, and analyzed how histories of philosophy have been composed in a wide range of European and non-European languages. A particular emphasis was placed on the concept of entangled histories, highlighting translation and reception processes as decisive factors in shaping philosophical traditions across time and space.
The project also mapped the global institutionalization of philosophy: from the export of the European university model and its curricula to the role of international congresses in creating transregional networks of philosophical exchange. In doing so, Hi:Phi provided a new perspective on canon formation, curricular practices, and the meaning of philosophizing under conditions of global interconnection.
Among its lasting contributions are:
- a multilingual database of histories of philosophy from around the world, including attempts at global historiography;
- a series of conferences, workshops, and research talks that contributed to the establishment of an ongoing discourse on cross-cultural thinking
- and a programmatic book series outlining how a history of philosophy in global perspective might be written and used in philosophy education.
Through these outputs, Hi:Phi opened new methodological horizons for the study of philosophy’s past and present. It laid the groundwork for future research that no longer treats non-European traditions as marginal, but as integral to the history and future of philosophy.