Why Explore Stranded Encyclopedias?

Abstract

Influential publications have long occupied central positions in histories of literature, philosophy, and science. The history of encyclopedias is no exception. With the ongoing digitization and increasing accessibility of historically important reference works, this trend is in fact still being reinforced. In this chapter, however, Linn Holmberg argues that by shifting our attention from successful publications to projects that somehow “failed,” we can deepen our understanding of modern encyclopedic practice—its development, challenges, motivations, and geographical expansion. Here, the concepts of stranded and strandedness can function as simple yet powerful analytical tools to compare cases where intellectual ambitions and practical outcomes have parted ways, and to explore the complex relationships between the finished and the unfinished, the printed and the non-printed, the complete and the uncomplete, the updated and the outdated, as well as the successfully and unsuccessfully disseminated. After all, all human undertakings run the risk of being stranded—of not reaching a desired destination, or of not being fulfilled as planned. Studying stranded encyclopedias means taking seriously the many obstacles facing those who pursue complete knowledge, and uncovering what it takes for large-scale enterprises to be realized and made public in various historical contexts.