In Dostoevsky’s novel The Idiot, Prince Myshkin famously asks, “Can beauty save the world?” This project explores whether and how beauty—through individual and collective experiences—can serve as a transformative force in a secular age. As traditional religious frameworks wane, a growing demographic identifies as “spiritual but not religious,” seeking new pathways to meaning and transcendence. We seek to address if and how beauty may hold the key to personal and collective transformation among this demographic.
This interdisciplinary project, spanning sociology, psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and literature, investigates how aesthetic experiences—individually and through collective acts like choral singing and immersive theater—may shape meaning-making and personal transformation. It includes the first large-scale international study of beauty, with nationally representative surveys in the US and UK (N=10,000), in-depth interviews (n=240), and fieldwork in five diverse sites, including small- and large-scale events. Electrophysiological measurements through wearable technology will offer new insights into the relationship between beauty, spirituality, and well-being.
Outputs will include three book proposals (a trade book, an academic monograph, and an edited volume), 15 peer-reviewed journal articles, 20 popular articles, 15 conference presentations, a new survey dataset, and 7 teaching syllabi. Public-facing events, including symposia, conferences, retreats, workshops, and salon dinners, will extend the impact beyond academia, sparking global conversations about the transformative role of beauty in contemporary society.
By integrating rigorous academic inquiry with real-world impact, this project will advance a new understanding of beauty as a spiritual resource and inspire practical tools for personal and social flourishing. It bridges disciplines and audiences to demonstrate how beauty can act as a catalyst for meaning and flourishing in a secular age.
