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Proceedings of the first Annual Seminar (LUMSA University, Rome, 21-25 May 2018) “Contemporary Humanism Questioning an Idea: A Time of Fragility, a Time of Opportunity” [open access]
Proceedings of the International Conference “The Human Measure. Legacy, Conflicts, and Perspectives of Humanism” (Lumsa University, Rome, 9-11 January 2019) [open access]
Humanism and Ethics (Revue d’éthique et de théologie morale, 303, 2019/3) edited by Stefano Biancu
Le retour de l’Homme (Transversalités, 153, 2020) contributions of Alberto Anelli, Stefano Biancu, Emmanuel Falque
We are a research network and an international and interdisciplinary double-badged PhD program, sponsored by six universities around the world under the umbrella title “Contemporary Humanism”.
The program, which is accredited by the Italian Minister of University and Research as Innovative, is articulated in four curricula: 1) Philosophy and Religion, 2) Education, 3) Literature and Cultural Studies, 4) Social and Political Studies.
Why the category of Humanism?
Humanism is a polysemic category, being at once historical, cultural and axiological. Historical, in that it indicates a precise period of intellectual history: that of Italian Humanism and its immediate heirs. Cultural, in that it is valid as a generative category of an entire civilization, hence from its ethnic origin – which took place within the geographical borders of Europe – but with universal claims, as the various universal declarations of human rights have effectively testified for some centuries now. Finally, axiological, inasmuch as it indicates a horizon of meaning and a constellation of values whose foundation rests on a conception of humanity as a task – and not as a simple fact – and in a recognition of this humanity as an essential and constituent trait of every human being, quite apart from the age and civilization that produced humanism.
So is the category of humanism still pertinent in the cultural sense, as a synthetic and generative category of a particular civilization, and in an axiological sense, as an ideal regulator and a valorial frame of reference? Is there anything that can be called a contemporary humanism? What are their historical forms and their variations? Are they merely intellectual forms, or rather practices and institutions that bear a humanistic matrix in their DNA, and which, precisely for this reason, foster and condition our ability to understand what humanism is? Can we do without this category?
Many challenges await us. Among them all, naturally, the one arising from the power that humanity wields today: the power to transform the world and humanity itself. This power, cognitive, technical and practical, does not contain within itself instruments and criteria to regulate it. Rather it is seen as an end in itself and used for its own sake. With respect to this power, so axiologically indifferent, we need a horizon of meaning and value. Can the category of humanism still offer a direction and a guide, as happened – many decades ago now – after the catastrophe of global warfare?
The program is based on an agreement signed in 2017 by the Rectors of four universities: Australian Catholic University, Institut Catholique de Paris, Università LUMSA, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Later two more institutions joined the program – Universidade Católica Portuguesa (2020) and Université Catholique de Lyon (2022).
The program is led by a management committee (vice-Rectors level) and an academic board.
The latter is coordinated by LUMSA University.
Diego Cosmelli, PUC
Peter Hanenberg, UCP
Vincent Holzer, ICP
Gennaro Iasevoli, LUMSA
James McLaren / Philip Parker, ACU
Michel Younès, UCLy
Agrusti Gabriella, LUMSA
Bernasconi Andrés, PUC
Biancu Stefano, LUMSA (Coordinator of the Academic Board)
Bonini Francesco, LUMSA
Bourdin Bernard, ICP
Bourgatte Michael, ICP
Carneiro Sarissa, PUC
Cassidy-Welch Megan, ACU
Champion Michael, ACU
Chiuminatto Pablo, PUC
Chou Mark, ACU
Corradi Consuelo, LUMSA
Damiani Valeria, LUMSA
Duque João, UCP
Falque Emmanuel, ICP
Lestang François, UCLy
Lopes Alexandra, UCP
Marion Jean-Luc, Académie Française
Meneses Alejandra, PUC
Mills Kathy, ACU
Palazzani Laura, LUMSA
Papasogli Benedetta, LUMSA
Pesaresi Chiara, UCLy
Squarzina Anna Isabella, LUMSA
Tognon Giuseppe, LUMSA
Treviño Villarreal Ernesto, PUC
Former Members
Ávila Natalia, PUC
Alvarado José Tomás, PUC
Gaune Rafael, PUC
Hillel Margot, ACU
Jorge Ana, UCP
Lasida Elena, ICP
Moog François, ICP
Ossandón Widow María Magdalena, PUC
Page Olof, PCU
Polanco Rodrigo, PUC
Rolle Claudio, PUC
Roose Joshua, ACU
Turner Bryan, ACU
Vaz Carvalho Jorge, UCP
Verdugo Fernando, PUC
Widow Lira Felipe, PUC
2018-2021
Connelly William – Philosophy and Religion
2019-2022
Boscolo Alessandra – Education
Schwibach Sebastian – Philosophy and Religion
Zani Gian Vito – Philosophy and Religion
2020-2023
Acharya Rajat – Philosophy and Religion
Benedetti Filippo – Literature and Social Sciences
Conti Silvia – Philosophy and Religion
Deketekaere Nikolaas – Philosophy and Religion
Herzog Christophe – Literature and Social Sciences
López Gonzalez Dany – Education
2021-2024
Bianco Pierangelo – Philosophy and Religion
Clinton Alec – Philosophy and Religion
Fioretti Francesca – Education
Sabato Cecilia – Education
Tassella Marco – Philosophy and Religion
2022-2025
Anelli Alberto – Education (LUMSA/ICP)
Caccioppola Federica – Education (LUMSA/ACU)
Cambria Domenico – Philosophy and Religion (ICP/LUMSA)
Chironi Giacomo – Philosophy and Religion (LUMSA)
Culcasi Irene – Education (PUC/LUMSA)
Drapało Kamila – Philosophy and Religion (ACU/LUMSA)
Rodríguez Baños Jeyver – Philosophy and Religion (PUC/ACU)
Simeoni Francesca – Philosophy and Religion (LUMSA/ICP)
Torchiaro Aldo – Literature and Social Sciences (LUMSA/PUC)
Vetuli Alessandro – Philosophy and Religion (LUMSA/ICP)
International Conference “The Human Measure. Legacy, Conflicts, and Perspectives of Humanism” (Lumsa University, Rome, 9-11 January 2019)
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the third annual seminar, which should have taken place at the Melbourne campus of Australian Catholic University in September 2020, has been canceled. Instead, different local initiatives will be planned by the partner universities.
LUMSA University, in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame Rome Global Gateway, organaised a doctoral seminar on Pandemic – an intellectual challenge which took place – as Webinar and and in-Person event – on September 10-11.
Watch the video of the Seminar
The second annual seminar took place at Institut Catholique in Paris (May 20-24 2019) under the title “Tradition et innovation dans l’humanisme contemporain”.
