Concepts of humanism have multiplied since the Renaissance. Christian Humanism, Enlightenment Humanism, sceptical and neo-colonial polemics against humanism and various kinds of feminist humanism have all articulated different ideals of learning and of human behaviour. The volume attempts to provide a general overview of the history of humanism(s) with a Renaissance emphasis. Contributors are: Rüdiger Ahrens, Volker Bischoff, Horst Breuer, Martin Brunkhorst, Willi Erzgräber, Douwe Fokkema, Gerald Gillespie, Walter Göbel, Werner Grabes, Ihab Hassan, Ronnie Jack, Ute Kauer, Wanda Klee, Seth Lerer, Thomas McFarland, J. Hillis Miller, Heinz-Joachim Müllenbrock, Wolfgang G. Müller, Bianca Ross, Saskia Schabio, Johann N. Schmidt, Ulrich Schulz-Buschhaus, Michael Steppat.