The Globalization of Knowledge in History

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Today scientific, technological and cultural knowledge is shared worldwide. The extent to which globalized knowledge also existed in the past is an open question and, moreover, a question that is important for understanding present processes of globalization. This book, the result of an interdisciplinary cooperation launched in 2007 by a Dahlem Conference, offers surprising answers to this question. Long-distance and intercontinental connections with an attendant spread of knowledge are as old as Homo sapiens. Since its inception, the globalization of knowledge has been a process with its own dynamics, interfering significantly with other processes of intercultural transmission. The four parts of this volume address historical phases in which production, transmission and transformation of knowledge were crucial for advancing these processes. --- 'Studies* of the Max Planck Research Library for the History and Development of Knowledge is a series presenting research results in a new format that combines the advantages of traditional printed books with those of the digital medium. Each volume is dedicated to a key subject in the history of knowledge, bringing together perspectives from different fields. The volumes are available both a print-on-demand books and as open-access publications on the Internet. The series aims at developing integrative humanities in which source-based empirical approaches are integrated with theoretically guided approaches, covering long-term historical process and broad comparative assessments. The books in this series not only present the results of interdisciplinary cooperation, but also aim at sustaining it in new ways. By combining print with digital publications, the series offers new possibilities for publishing research in flux. The material is freely accessible at www.edition-open-access.de, supplemented by additional information and interactive features. The peer-reviewed volumes present original scholarly work.