Description
While humanist sensibilities have played a formative role in the advancement of our species, critical attention to humanism as a field of study is a more recent development. As a system of thought that values human needs and experiences over supernatural concerns, humanism has gained greater attention amid the rapidly shifting demographics of religious communities, especially in Europe and North America. This outlook on the world has taken on global dimensions as well, with activists, artists, and thinkers forming a humanistic response not only to traditional religion, but to the pressing social and political issues of the 21st century.With in-depth, scholarly chapters, The Oxford Handbook of Humanism aims to cover the subject by analyzing its history, its philosophical development, its influence on culture, and its engagement with social and political issues. In order to expand the field beyond more Western-focused works, the Handook discusses humanism as a worldwide phenomenon, with regional surveys that explore how the concept has developed in particular contexts. The Handbook also approaches humanism as both an opponent to traditional religion as well as a philosophy that some religions have explicitly adopted. By both synthesizing the field, and discussing how it continues to grow and develop, the Handbook promises to be a landmark volume, relevant to both humanism and the rapidly changing religious landscape.
Table of Contents
Introduction Anthony B. PinnPART I: Geographies1. Humanism in East AsiaChun-chieh Huang2. Humanism in AfricaD. A. Masolo3. Humanism in the Middle EastKhurram Hussain4. Humanism in the AmericasCarol Wayne White5. Humanism in EuropeStefan SchröderPart II: Intellectual Histories6. Humanism in the Medieval WorldJohn R. Shook7. Humanism and the RenaissanceJohn Monfasani8. Humanism and the EnlightenmentJ. Brent Crosson9. Humanism and the Modern AgeCorey D. B. WalkerPart III: Organization10. Humanism Against ReligionDavid Kline11. Humanism as a Religious Orientation?William Hart12. Humanism and Its CriticsSlavica JakelićPart IV: Cultural Production13. Humanism and LiteratureMiriam Strube14. Humanism and FilmSheila J. Nayar15. Humanism and MusicChristopher M. Driscoll16. Humanism and HumorDavid Feltmate17. Humanism and the Visual ArtsJ. Sage Elwell18. Humanism and SportEric Bain-SelboPart V: The Public Arena19. The Politics of HumanismJoseph O. Baker20. Humanism and Political IdentityJuhem Navarro-Rivera21. Humanism and Higher EducationJeffrey J. KripalPart VI: Social Issues22. Humanism and the HumanJoseph Winters23. Humanism and EnvironmentalismDan McKanan24. Humanism and GenderMonica R. Miller25. Humanism and RaceChristopher Cameron26. Humanism, Sex, and SexualityAbby Hafer27. Humanism and ClassSikivu HutchinsonPart VII: Private Life28. The Practice of HumanismJames Croft29. Humanism and the Conceptualization of Value and Well-BeingPhilip Butler30. Humanism and AgingPeter Derkx and Hanne LaceullePart VIII: Future Prospects31. The Changing Demographics of HumanismYazmin A. Garcia Trejo32. Humanism and TechnologyCor van der Weele and Henk van den Belt33. Can Humanism be the Social Norm?Sharon D. Welch
