At the End of the World: A Transdisciplinary Approach to the Apocalyptic Imaginary in the Past and Present

Project: Research

Project Details

Description

Deeply rooted in the biblical tradition, the idea of the world’s imminent end has long been a fixture of Western history. By bringing together a multidisciplinary research team, "At the End of the World" will study apocalypticism as an imaginary, a transhistorical complex of texts, images, and symbols that continues to resonate beyond its original theological context. The overarching objectives of our 22 subprojects include both in-depth analyses of how the apocalyptic imaginary shapes conceptions of time, agency, justice, gender, corporeality, otherness, and nationhood; and critical reflections on the apocalyptic imaginary’s ambiguity in the past and present. For example, we will interrogate the use of apocalyptic imagery in historiography, legal-political thought, and populist rhetoric, but also the deployment of apocalyptic tropes in debates about AI, climate change, and migration. How does the apocalyptic imaginary define which futures are thinkable and desirable, and thereby shape political choices in the present? When do apocalyptic motifs ignite our capacities for ethical engagement or political resistance, and when do they function merely to paralyze us? Drawing on multiple methodological skillsets, "At the End of the World" will tap into resources from the history of apocalyptic thinking to expose the deeply rooted, but largely unconscious ways in which apocalyptic imagery resurfaces during today’s cultural and political challenges.
Short titleAt the End of the World
StatusActive
Effective start/end date2023/01/012028/12/31

Collaborative partners

Funding

  • The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation: Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Science Research

UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This project contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Religious Studies