Worlds End, Worlds Begin: The Future of the Humanities Pt. 1

A lecture delivered at Clemson University in February, 2007 by Richard E. Miller, Chair of the English department, Rutgers University. Focuses on the transformative power of beauty in these apocalyptic times.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• humanities
• visual
• arts
• richard
• e.
• miller
• rutgers
• university
• writing
• at
• the
• end
• of
• world

[BandofSorensons]

Transformative power of beauty in apocalyptic times? And we wonder at why no one cares about the humanities? Here's a clue: no one should. If you want to write platitudes and get paid for it then publish in Harpers. But let's not ask universities to continue to support it, let's not continue to ask tax payers to continue to pay for it, and let's not continue to ask students to pay for it. Let the beast die, on its own, and allow universities to focus on research that matters.

[CommentorX]

I can concur that tenure is moving away from teaching and service, but I disagree with Miller's use of the term "scholarship". I would instead call it grantsmanship - the ability to bring money into the university. We are turning our faculty into beggars, peddlers and lobbyists.