The humanities teach us to question the world around us in order to better understand our place within it.
In the humanities, we seek to understand the nuances of cultural issues, to interpret human experience, and to appreciate the power of words and ideas.
By studying humanities, we broaden our historical, ethical, social and international perspectives while enhancing ourselves intellectually and creatively.
News and Awards
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Linguistics Undergraduate Students Publish Article in Prestigious Journal
Rachel Hayes-Harb, professor of linguistics at the University of Utah, led her capstone students through a large group replication study, which has culminated into an article that appeared in Studies in Second Language Acquisition Journal, in March 2024.
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Robin Wall Kimmerer and Kyle Whyte in Conversation
The University of Utah’s Tanner Humanities Center will host Whyte, a professor of environment and sustainability and George Willis Pack Professor at University of Michigan, in conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants,” on Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. in the Moot Courtroom of the S.J. Quinney College of Law.
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Faculty Feature: Medievalism with Chris Jones
Chris Jones, the inaugural ESRR Professor of English at the University of Utah, specializes in medieval literature, especially Old English, and has published widely on the reception of Old English in modern poetry, a subfield of Medieval Studies that his research helped found and shape.
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U Humanities Professor Receives NEH Grant to Memorialize Children Incarcerated at the Waialeʻe Industrial School for Boys in Hawai’i
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded Maile Arvin, associate professor of history and gender studies at the University of Utah – in collaboration with the North Shore Community Land Trust in Hawai’i – $29,445 to support a community-based oral history research and story-mapping project of the Waialeʻe Industrial School for Boys. As part of a larger effort to fund projects that expand the reach and impact of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, NEH has awarded more than $400,000 to 14 Tribal Nations and organizations.
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Colleen McDannell Publishes “Catholic Utah – Images of America”
To read the article click here to visit the Salt Lake Tribune.
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Humanities Radio Presents: Leandra Hernandez
Leandra Hernandez, assistant professor of communication, discusses her book, “Feminist Mentoring in Academia (Communicating Gender)” which explores how feminist mentoring happens between professor and student; junior faculty and tenured; and occurs repeatedly.
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Aliens, Tyrants, Greek Tragedy, Social Media, Racial Tensions and the Costs of Upward Mobility: Great Books Explores Them All
There is only one course at the University of Utah that will take students on a journey of studying one the greatest Greek tragedies to studying the relationship between the humanities and theories of evolution to studying aliens and how they communicate. The course will also take students on a powerful exploration of ambition, power, and the nature of evil, with one of literature’s greatest villains. Led by a team of top professors in the College of Humanities, HUM 1500: Great Books, engages students in a rich and rewarding experience that offers insight into the foundational questions and challenges that motivate and vex the human condition.
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Aileen H. Clyde Women’s History Lecture Series with Dr. Heather Belnap
In recognition of the complexity and change experienced by 20th century women in Utah and elsewhere, the mission of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archive is to document and preserve the history of women whose lives and work helped create social and cultural change. Each year the Department of History in partnership with the Aileen H. Clyde Women’s History Initiative host an annual lecture illuminating women’s history. This year’s lecturer will be Dr. Heather Belnap.
Events
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Apr 17
Wednesday
Tanner: Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Apr 17
Wednesday
4:30pm - 5:30pmMedieval Siri: Replicating Histories of Gender, Automation, and Representation with Lamia Balafrej
Art Building (ART)
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Apr 17
Wednesday
7pm - 8pmRobin Wall Kimmerer & Kyle Whyte | Tanner Humanities Center & U Sustainability
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Apr 18
Thursday
7pm - 8pmCreative Writing Faculty Reading
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Apr 19
Friday
4pm - 5pmStudent Q&A with ESPN Reporter, Holly Rowe
Language & Communication Bldg (LNCO)
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Apr 19
Friday
6pm - 8pmWorking with Joy and Passion: Keys to a Successful Career with Holly Rowe
Red Butte Garden Orangerie - Hemingway (ORANGE)
Undergraduate Studies
At the U, we know studying the Humanities gives students the edge to excel in any field. Learning a second language, being able to write and speak in a compelling way, understanding history, thinking critically and creatively, crafting precise arguments, connecting local issues to a global context – it’s all humanities! The College of Humanities at the University of Utah provides our students with critical skills that prepare them to succeed personally and economically in our increasingly complex and global society.
Graduate Studies
Students embarking on graduate studies in the Humanities at the U engage in rigorous research, critical analysis, and intellectual exploration, honing their skills in interpretations, communication and critical thinking. Our graduate programs not only equip scholars with advanced knowledge but also cultivate empathy, cultural sensitivity, and an ability to navigate complex ethical and social issues, making them invaluable contributors to society as educators, researchers, writers and cultural critics.
Now, more than ever, we need the humanities.
Now, more than ever, the humanities need you.