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Fri Jun 17 16:16:29 UTC 2011


Robert M. Berdahl, president of the Association of American Universities,
said he has noticed increasing concern among university leaders about "the
marginalization of non-scientific work" in higher education. "At every
meeting these days, there is concern expressed about the status of the
humanities and the fear that the humanities and to some extent the social
sciences are being sidelined in a discussion about higher education that
seems to focus almost exclusively on the economic value of universities."

Are the Humanities under attack?  If they need rescued and if so how?

So here's an idea, and this is not new:  humanities need to be able to show
what they can offer even the sciences. (Now I don't mean getting caught up
in the debate over the "value" of the humanities directly -- as that's like
trying to defend a fine arts program on the basis of the Christie's auction
price on a few Picasso's. Also Stanley Fish's retort that the humanities
need not justify themselves comes to mind, but it's probably easier to make
that claim when you are the Davidson-Kahn Distinguished University Professor
and a professor of law.  That's not to slight, but to say it's easier to
claim the humanities don't need to argue their value when you've already
established/earned your own security.

Here is where my personal interest comes in with Critical Code Studies in
the Humanities and Critical Code Studies (HaCCS Lab), where one of the goals
is to create new spaces for humanities and computer scientists to meet and
discuss.   While I think it is naive to suggest that the humanities will all
of the sudden be valued the way the sciences are, I'd be interested to hear
about humanities courses geared toward scientists.  Not Rocks for Jocks but
Greeks for Geeks.   Critical Theory for Civil Engineers.  I'm interested in
classes that teach the traditional humanities topics but that are aimed at
the science students --  beyond, say, the History of Science or the History
of the Philosophy of Science. Which is another way of asking: what can the
humanities teach the sciences (which probably plays into a completely
useless binary)?

I guess I've been thinking a lot about what humanists can offer code studies
and can't help feel that we could design humanities courses geared toward
science students that would be (actually and hopefully perceived to be)
valuable to their pursuits -- with perhaps the long-term goal of not erasing
but seriously smudging the division between the sciences and humanities.
Don't get me wrong -- these would INCREASE humanities offerings, not take
the place of current classes.

I know I'm preaching to the interdisciplinary choir, but can anyone reply
with actual courses they've taught or offered at their institution that seem
to fit this bill?  Can we propose imaginary courses that might accomplish
these goals?   Or does this in effect undervalue that work that any good
humanities course does already?

Thoughts?
Mark Marino
HaCCS Lab
University of Southern California
http://haccslab.com

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Hi, IDC-ers,<br><br>Last summer I met a computer scientist who shared with =
me his hierarchy of knowledge.=A0 In his schema, the sciences were at the t=
op and all branches of knowledge and learning in the academy fell underneat=
h.=A0=A0 By his account, at one time, due to a collective ignorance, much o=
f knowledge was ordered under the Humanities, but slowly over time that ice=
 cap had been chipped away and had floated off and melted into the larger s=
ea of Science where it belonged.=A0 By his account medicine, astronomy, and=
 many other realms of knowledge had been relocated to their rightful place,=
 leaving only certain types of speculative philosophy, perhaps a few arts, =
and other trivial or superfluous enterprises.<br>

<br>I don&#39;t think this computer scientist was misrepresenting his persp=
ective to be provocative, though I do believe he knew exactly which of my b=
uttons he was pushing.=A0 His pedestal for positivism was built upon a larg=
er progress narrative (that a humanities course might even critique).=A0 No=
netheless, it took a long coffee break with a philosophy librarian friend t=
o pull me back from the ledge or perhaps get me off the war path.<br>

<br>In an age where very reasonable folks are questioning the value of a co=
llege education, when the digital humanities seem to be flourishing, and wh=
en the US and global economies are still flagging sending students into the=
ir most pragmatic shells, I wonder if it isn&#39;t time for a new kind of h=
umanities course.=A0=A0 I guess I am thinking about something different tha=
n what I know to be &quot;digital humanities&quot; in as much as that can m=
ean the humanities plus computers (not to reduce -- I just don&#39;t mean t=
hat version of DH.)<br>

<br>Remember last year and Cornell&#39;s President Skorton&#39;s address?<b=
r><a href=3D"http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/01/humanities" targ=
et=3D"_blank">http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/01/humanities</a><=
br>
<br>From an Inside Higher Ed article on the topic:<br>
<div style=3D"margin-left: 40px;">Robert M. Berdahl, president of the Assoc=
iation of American=20
Universities, said he has noticed increasing concern among university=20
leaders about &quot;the marginalization of non-scientific work&quot; in hig=
her=20
education. &quot;At every meeting these days, there is concern expressed=20
about the status of the humanities and the fear that the humanities and=20
to some extent the social sciences are being sidelined in a discussion=20
about higher education that seems to focus almost exclusively on the=20
economic value of universities.&quot;<br></div><br>Are the Humanities under=
 attack?=A0 If they need rescued and if so how?<br><br>So here&#39;s an ide=
a, and this is not new:=A0 humanities need to be able to show what they can=
 offer even the sciences. (Now I don&#39;t mean getting caught up in the de=
bate over the &quot;value&quot; of the humanities directly -- as that&#39;s=
 like trying to defend a fine arts program on the basis of the Christie&#39=
;s auction price on a few Picasso&#39;s. Also Stanley Fish&#39;s retort tha=
t the humanities need not justify=20
themselves comes to mind, but it&#39;s probably easier to make that claim w=
hen you are the Davidson-Kahn Distinguished University Professor and a prof=
essor of law.=A0 That&#39;s not to slight, but to say it&#39;s easier to cl=
aim the humanities don&#39;t need to argue their value when you&#39;ve alre=
ady established/earned your own security.<br>

<br>Here is where my personal interest comes in with Critical Code Studies =
in the Humanities and Critical Code Studies (HaCCS Lab), where one of the g=
oals is to create new spaces for humanities and computer scientists to meet=
 and discuss.=A0=A0 While I think it is naive to suggest that the humanitie=
s will all of the sudden be valued the way the sciences are, I&#39;d be int=
erested to hear about humanities courses geared toward scientists.=A0 Not R=
ocks for Jocks but Greeks for Geeks.=A0=A0 Critical Theory for Civil Engine=
ers.=A0 I&#39;m interested in classes that teach the traditional humanities=
 topics but that are aimed at the science students --=A0 beyond, say, the H=
istory of Science or the History of the Philosophy of Science. Which is ano=
ther way of asking: what can the humanities teach the sciences (which proba=
bly plays into a completely useless binary)?<br>

<br>I guess I&#39;ve been thinking a lot about what humanists can offer cod=
e studies and can&#39;t help feel that we could design humanities courses g=
eared toward science students that would be (actually and hopefully perceiv=
ed to be) valuable to their pursuits -- with perhaps the long-term goal of =
not erasing but seriously smudging the division between the sciences and hu=
manities.=A0 Don&#39;t get me wrong -- these would INCREASE humanities offe=
rings, not take the place of current classes.<br>

<br>I know I&#39;m preaching to the interdisciplinary choir, but can anyone=
 reply with actual courses they&#39;ve taught or offered at their instituti=
on that seem to fit this bill?=A0 Can we propose imaginary courses that mig=
ht accomplish these goals?=A0=A0 Or does this in effect undervalue that wor=
k that any good humanities course does already?<br>

<br>Thoughts?<br>Mark Marino<br>HaCCS Lab<br>University of Southern Califor=
nia<br><a href=3D"http://haccslab.com" target=3D"_blank">http://haccslab.co=
m</a><br><br>

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