Programs for 2011 - 12

The Humanities Center has returned to full programming this year.

Current Events

Humanities Now

Geoffrey Harpham

Geoffrey Galt Harpham is president and director of the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, the only institute for advanced study in the world dedicated exclusively to the humanities. Under his leadership, the National Humanities Center has sponsored initiatives that have encouraged dialogue between the humanities and the natural and social sciences.

Tuesday, September 27
JRC 101, 4:15 pm

“From Eternity to Here: Shrinkage in American Thinking about Higher Education”

Wednesday, September 28
Faculty Roundtable Discussion
JRC 209, 12:00 pm

RSVP required by September 14 to Jan Graham [grahamj].

Conversations in the Humanities

Friday, September 9
JRC 209, 12:00 pm

If you’re interested in learning more about the “Conversations in the Humanities” luncheon series please RSVP to Jan Graham at grahamj@grinnell.edu or x4384 by noon on Wednesday, August 31st. The number of attendees is limited.

 

• Humanities Now

We are pleased to announce a slate of programs that will explore the significance of the humanities in teaching and research. Our first kick-off event will be a talk on September 27 by Professor Geoffrey Harpham, president and director of the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. He will also lead a roundtable discussion on the role and significance of the Humanities at a liberal arts institution on September 28.

• Global Modernities

In this series of talks, we will turn our focus on formations of modern culture and society worldwide. A roundtable and series of talks through the year are in the works. In the Spring, Prof. Richard Handler, Professor of Anthropology and Director of Global Development Studies Program, University of Virginia will give a talk in the Spring.

• Conversations in the Humanities

The Humanities Center will organize a series of luncheon events called “Conversations in the Humanities.” Our goal is to invite a cluster of faculty members who work in humanities and related disciplines to have a discussion about different aspects of their scholarly work. Such conversations could be related to methodology (historical, feminist, linguistic, sociological), theoretical approach, materials, archives, or specific texts. We hope to draw scholars from different disciplines to focus on an aspect of their research that they have in common with other scholars invited for the same panel, but we can also imagine faculty from the same department engaged in a debate about an issue particular to that discipline. So, for instance, scholars in the languages could discuss the use of historical material in their work or ethnographic methods in literary study. Such conversations are already going on in different divisions and disciplines on campus. We would like to make this event a conversation across historical periods and disciplines in which colleagues, students, and other members of the campus community would be invited to participate.

• Receptions

In December and May, the Humanities Center will host a reception to showcase and honor scholarly and creative work by Grinnell faculty and staff.