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.

ACLS Public Fellows

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 6, 2011Advocacy Statements & Campaigns, Humanities NewsLindsayThomas

The ACLS has announced the inaugural competition of its Public Fellows program, which will place eight recent PhDs in staff positions in partnering government and non-profit agencies. The ACLS describes the purpose of the program as broadening conventional ideas about the Ph.D. career path: This program, made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. […]

France: Projects and campuses of excellence chosen

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 6, 2011Humanities NewsLindsayThomas

100 projects selected for funding under the French government’s “Labex” (Laboratories of Excellence) have been announced; the program is funded by a EUR35 billion (US$50 billion) growth fund announced by President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009 and is intended to create internationally competitive centers of higher education and research. Among the 100 Labex are 26 projects […]

Symposium on the Future of the Humanities

Posted by LindsayThomas

April 3, 2011Advocacy Statements & CampaignsLindsayThomas

The Symposium on the Future of the Humanities was held on Tuesday, March 29 at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, which co-sponsored the event with the Council of Independent Colleges. Presenters emphasized the value of a traditional humanities education that highlights human experience, illuminates ambiguity and complex thought, and […]

Times Higher Education: Work of infinite value

Posted by Geoffrey Rockwell

March 17, 2011Advocacy Statements & CampaignsGeoffrey Rockwell

The Times Higher Education has short essay by Ann Mroz on Work of infinite value. Mroz makes the case that, “Science alone cannot get to the heart of what makes us human, which is why the humanities and social sciences matter so much”.

Posters to Defend the Arts and Humanities

Posted by Geoffrey Rockwell

March 11, 2011Advocacy Statements & CampaignsGeoffrey Rockwell

At the Defend the Arts and Humanities site they have a link to a collection of Electronic Posters of people to use. Great idea!

A Manifesto for the Arts and Humanities

Posted by Geoffrey Rockwell

March 10, 2011Advocacy Statements & CampaignsGeoffrey Rockwell

The web site Defend the Arts and Humanities has published the first installment to A Manifesto for the Arts and Humanities: The Example of Candide. In this introduction he quotes from an article by James Vernon to explain the reason for the manifesto. Writing in the wake of the Browne Report, James Vernon made a […]

The Humanities We Are For

Posted by Geoffrey Rockwell

March 7, 2011Homepage, Humanities News, Scholarship on the State of the Humanities, Voices For the HumanitiesGeoffrey Rockwell

David Theo Goldberg and Wendy Brown organized a forum on “The University We Are For” at UC Berkeley in November, 2010. A version was also put on at UC Irvine (see the embedded video above.) James Clifford talked about the Greater Humanities at the Berkeley event concluding, I’m urging that we keep our eye on […]