Gossiping about the Buddha of Gottingen: Heinrich Ewald as an Unscholarly Persona
Heinrich Ewald is a very peculiar figure in the history of nineteenth century German Oriental studies. Though his scholarly prowess was generally recognized, his harsh criticisms of the publications and especially of the character of his colleagues placed him at the periphery of his profession. His peers refused to let themselves be overly influenced by his strong opinions and moral outrage. At the same time, their gossip about his supposed flaws of character did have a noticeable impact. Gossiping about Ewald served both as a way to cement personal bonds and as a means of articulating peer group norms and boundaries. Most of all, Ewald's obvious deviation from the highly valued cultural model of the modest scholar gave his colleagues the opportunity to propagate this model by condemning his shortcomings. Because of his perceived missteps, the name Ewald even developed into a shorthand for what can be described as an "unscholarly persona."
History of Humanities