,as promoted by...

I have problem with the role of the highlighted sentence in the following context. That said, could you please say which of my interpretations is OK? and why?

Context:

I believe it is important to examine how far the pendulum is swinging away from the cultural and linguistic relativism that has for almost a century predominated in the theoretical discourse underpinning approaches to the arts and humanities, and how far it is moving towards a universalist belief system and approach, as promoted by the new sciences, especially those concerned with the evolution of the mind.

My interpretations:

1. I believe it is important to examine how far new sciences, especially those concerned with the evolution of the mind, are distancing from the cultural and linguistic relativism which underpins arts and humanities and how far they are getting closer to a universalist belief system and approach?

2. I believe it is important to examine how far contemporary knowledge is distancing from the cultural and linguistic relativism which underpins arts and humanities and how far it is getting closer to a universalist belief system and approach which underpins new sciences, especially those concerned with the evolution of the mind.