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.

A Medical Doctor’s Advocacy of the Humanities

Posted by Alan Liu

January 3, 2011Advocacy Statements & CampaignsAlan Liu

Richard Smith, a British medical doctor who was formerly head of UnitedHealth Europe and editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), makes a case in the BMJ Blogs for “Medicine’s need for the humanities.” He reflects: Perhaps the most urgent problem in health care is to change attitudes to dying, and here, I suggest, the […]

Undergraduates Write Manifesto on Digital Humanities

Posted by Alan Liu

December 28, 2010Student VoicesAlan Liu

Students in an honors course on “Introduction to Digital Humanities” at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania have written for the Student Voices section of 4Humanities a “Manifesto” on why they “believe that teaching digital humanities to undergraduate students is critically important” for showing “digital natives,” as they call themselves, how to broaden the connection between the […]

Measuring the Value of Culture in the United Kingdom

Posted by Alan Liu

December 24, 2010Humanities NewsAlan Liu

Dr. David O’Brien of Leeds Metropolitan University has produced a commissioned report for the UK’s Department for Culture Media and Sport on “Measuring the Value of Culture.” The 66-page report is highly technical in its blend of economic, humanities, and governmental (bureaucratic) methods and vocabularies—certainly not something intended for the “public” or even for most […]

Major Infusion of Funds for Humanities at University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Posted by Alan Liu

December 24, 2010Advocacy Statements & Campaigns, Humanities NewsAlan Liu

The University of Wisconsin, Madison, announced on December 20, 2010, that it has received $10 million from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—matched by another $10 million from the state of Wisconsin—to support the humanities by sustaining strength in core areas, hiring new faculty, and supporting postdoctoral and graduate students. In her statement about the award, […]

SDH-SEMI Affiliation

Posted by Geoffrey Rockwell

December 19, 2010Humanities NewsGeoffrey Rockwell

The Canadian Society for Digital Humanities / La Société pour l’Étude des Médias Interactifs (SDH/SEMI) has joined 4Humanities as an affiliated organization. SDH/SEMI is the premiere digital humanities academic society in Canada.

PhDComics (continued)

Posted by Alan Liu

December 19, 2010Student VoicesAlan Liu

From Jorge Cham’s Piled Higher & Deeper: A Grad Student Comic Strip. (Used by permission.) See previous PhDComics strip

Valuing the Humanities Debate

Posted by Alan Liu

December 19, 2010Humanities NewsAlan Liu

London School of Economics Forum for European Philosophy Public Debate: “Valuing the Humanities” Date: Friday 17 December 2010 Time: 2.30-5pm Venue: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House (London School of Economics) Chair: Mark Lawson Speakers: James Ladyman is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bristol and co-editor of the British Journal of the Philosophy of […]