Voices For the Humanities

4Humanities is a platform for people from different parts of society and the world to give voice to the enduring and contemporary importance of the humanities. Why study and creative expression in such areas as literature, history, languages, philosophy, classics, art history, cultural studies, and others (see “What Are the Humanities?”) so valuable to individuals and societies? The voices gathered here say why.

* 4Humanities seeks out both original and reposted statements about the humanities from people in business, the sciences, entertainment, universities, high schools, and other sectors. We also report on significant developments and initiatives related to the humanities.

* Listen to the voices in our sections on “Advocacy Statements & Campaigns,” “The Changing Humanities,” “Student Voices,” and “International Correspondents.”

* Also listen to the voices gathered in our special projects “Humanities, Plain & Simple” and “Backpack Mini-documentaries.”

For those wishing to consult resources in framing their own statement for the humanities, 4Humanities offers a “Guide to Issues in Humanities Advocacy” and its “The Humanities Matter!” infographic.

Keeping the Humanities in the Public Arena: An Interview with Rosemary G. Feal

Posted by Ernesto Priego

April 29, 2013International CorrespondentsErnesto Priego, Humanities Advocacy, Interviews, MLA, Modern Language Association, National Humanities Alliance, NHA, Professional Associations, Rosemary G. FealErnesto Priego

4Humanities international correspondent Ernesto Priego interviews Rosemary G. Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Association.

Interview with Alessandro Ludovico

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 16, 2013International CorrespondentsLindsayThomas

By Eva Kekou, 4Humanities International Correspondent Alessandro Ludovico is a media critic and editor in chief of Neural magazine since 1993, for which he received an honorary mention from the Prix Ars Electronica in 2004. Hi Alessandro! Eva Kekou: Can you give us some info about your background, work and how you first got interested […]

Why All Professions Should Care About the Humanities

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 13, 2013Advocacy Statements & Campaigns, Student VoicesLindsayThomas

In a recent piece for The Chronicle of Higher Education, Kira Hamman, an instructor of mathematics at Penn State Mont Alto, emphasizes three reasons why scientists should care about attacks on the humanities. She argues first that scientists, because they aren’t under attack, can lend credibility to those disciplines under attack; second, that the sciences and […]

Interview with Ana Carvalho

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 9, 2013International CorrespondentsLindsayThomas

By Eva Kekou, 4Humanities International Correspondent Eva Kekou: Hello Ana! Ana Carvalho: Hello Eva, and thank you so much for your invitation. EK: Can you give us some information about your background? AC: A tendency to connection between several areas of creative knowledge comes into visibility when I consider what I do in general terms. […]

Advice Not to Go to Graduate School Obscures Real Issues

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 8, 2013Student VoicesLindsayThomas

By now, the latest anti-(humanities)graduate school screed, “Thesis Hatement” by Rebecca Schuman, has made the rounds on Facebook and Twitter. The author warns us against going to grad school in the humanities, stating, “I now realize graduate school was a terrible idea because the full-time, tenure-track literature professorship is extinct. After four years of trying, I’ve […]

Interview with Cara-Ann Simpson

Posted by LindsayThomas

March 29, 2013International CorrespondentsLindsayThomas

By Eva Kekou, 4Humanities International Correspondent Eva Kekou: In your statement you define yourself as a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on sculpture, sound, space and the participant. Can you elaborate on this and tell us how you understand multidisciplinary work and what you would like to express through various artistic means? Cara-Ann Simpson: For […]

Announcing 4Humanities@CSUN Mini-Documentary Backpack Project

Posted by LindsayThomas

February 28, 20134Humanities@CSUN, Advocacy Statements & Campaigns, Student VoicesLindsayThomas

By Kristin Cornelius This project facilitates the making of short, mini-documentaries that promote humanities scholarship by giving a narrative voice to the research process. Each mini-doc will depict the process of doing humanities research through interviews with students and scholars as they work on their scholarly activities. These short, 5-7 minute films will either be: […]