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„Egipcios por doquier“
(2002)
La „visión orientalista“ de Alejandro de Humboldt es un simple término para designar un modo complejo de percepción y descripción empleado por el científico alemán en su relación de viaje. Humboldt „orientaliza“ a América por medio de numerosas metáforas estereotipadas, de comparaciones científicas y analogías económico-coloniales, y perpetúa a su vez un „Orientalismo“ filológico como el que ha analizado Edward Said. Sin embargo, de manera gradual, la crítica autorreflexiva y una serie de sutiles inversiones erosionan las oposiciones binarias y las construcciones coloniales. El texto de Humboldt emplea primeramente patrones eurocentristas para luego deconstruirlos. Lo que en un principio aparece como un síntoma, pasa luego a desestabilizar estratégicamente el concepto del „Oriente“ como paradigma de la diferencia cultural y el „Orientalismo“ como discurso imperial.
A number of special purpose vessels in the world carried or carry the name of Alexander von Humboldt, who had substantial interests in oceanography. However, most of his marine texts are scattered over his major works, and he never finished his manuscript on ocean circulation. But there is a general agreement that A. v. Humboldt was one of the pioneers of marine sciences. He made his own observations on the sailing vessels he used on his expedition to the Neotropics, mainly concerning sea surface temperatures. In 2002 there was a discussion in Germany about the name of a new research vessel which is going to be commissioned in the summer of 2004. It was suggested by the science community to take the name of „Alexander von Humboldt“ again, as the new vessel is replacing a medium-sized ship with this name operated now by the Baltic Sea Research Institute in Rostock-Warnemünde. This vessel has been in service from 1970 to 1990 for the Academy of Sciences of the former German Democratic Republic. The first German research vessel „Alexander von Humboldt“ was a fishing trawler (1939). Furthermore, Peru and Mexico operate research vessels bearing Humboldt’s name. The best known „Alexander von Humboldt“ is an ocean going sailing ship of the International Sail Training Association, based in Bremen. She is engaged in educational programmes and went the South America in 1999 following Humboldt’s route. Thus, Humboldt’s marine legacy is preserved. The proposal to use the undisputed name of this great all-round scientist for the new German vessel under construction now was not successful. A high-ranking jury decided to prefer “Maria Sibylla Merian” (1647-1717), which was suggested by a young student in a nation-wide competition to find a name. As Humboldt 100 years later, she went to South America to study plants and other fields of natural history.
During his American expedition Humboldt grappled intensively with the iniquities of colonialism. In the year 1803, for example, he noted "that the idea of a colony is itself an immoral idea, this idea of a land which is obliged to pay dues to another country." The colonial powers, wrote Humboldt, support intolerance, repression and slavery. However, he did not express his criticism in public during the expedition but entrusted it only to good friends and his diary. The lecture treats Humboldt's political stance during the expedition, based on human rights and his communicative role as a research traveller who, having returned to Europe, made his criticism public. Central to the lecture are examples of Humboldt's criticism of representatives of the colonial system. These make clear which important impulses the researcher gave to the independence movement and to the politicians of the young American states.
Vorwort
(2002)