No subject
Fri Jun 17 16:16:29 UTC 2011
Robert M. Berdahl, president of the Association of American Universities, s=
aid he has noticed increasing concern among university leaders about "the m=
arginalization of non-scientific work" in higher education. "At every meeti=
ng these days, there is concern expressed about the status of the humanitie=
s and the fear that the humanities and to some extent the social sciences a=
re being sidelined in a discussion about higher education that seems to foc=
us 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 lik=
e trying to defend a fine arts program on the basis of the Christie's aucti=
on 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 mak=
e that claim when you are the Davidson-Kahn Distinguished University Profes=
sor and a professor of law. That's not to slight, but to say it's easier t=
o 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 t=
he 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 a=
ll of the sudden be valued the way the sciences are, I'd be interested to h=
ear about humanities courses geared toward scientists. Not Rocks for Jocks=
but Greeks for Geeks. Critical Theory for Civil Engineers. I'm interest=
ed in classes that teach the traditional humanities topics but that are aim=
ed at the science students -- beyond, say, the History of Science or the H=
istory of the Philosophy of Science. Which is another way of asking: what c=
an the humanities teach the sciences (which probably plays into a completel=
y useless binary)?
I guess I've been thinking a lot about what humanists can offer code studie=
s and can't help feel that we could design humanities courses geared toward=
science students that would be (actually and hopefully perceived to be) va=
luable to their pursuits -- with perhaps the long-term goal of not erasing =
but seriously smudging the division between the sciences and humanities. D=
on't get me wrong -- these would INCREASE humanities offerings, not take th=
e place of current classes.
I know I'm preaching to the interdisciplinary choir, but can anyone reply w=
ith 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 hu=
manities course does already?
Thoughts?
Mark Marino
HaCCS Lab
University of Southern California
http://haccslab.com
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E: 13px">
<div>Greetings All,</div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">I am a Humanities Lecturer who is in =
the lucky position of having Computer Science students put into my classes =
as a core part of their degree. So many students were coming 'across the la=
ke' (our campus has a lake with Sciences
on one side and Humanities on the other) that they decided to include my t=
opics in the degree. So I think I might have something to offer this =
discussion.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">I lecture in the Creative Arts, that =
is, I have small groups of portfolio entry students (concept artists, progr=
ammers, video editors, games creators, graphic designers. film makers) who =
I create topics for. Into these topics
stream Media students, Creative Writing, Film and IT students. A few years=
ago I worked out that I have a pipeline in my topics. We can make XBo=
x<a></a><a></a> games, animated films, graphic novels... Instead of lecturi=
ng from a textbook we work at project
management<a></a>, narrative, studying the role of the hero, usability, in=
terfaces, games theory. Together the students are capable of creating extra=
ordinary objects. First year is gaining core skills, second year is working=
on projects and finding their niche,
third year is major individual projects. Students work together across all=
three years. It's the only way to share the breadth of knowledge - and the=
ir generosity<a></a> with their knowledge is inspiring.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">The IT students love the topics as 'i=
n the real world' IT is often a part of a larger pipeline - the =
programming interfaces at some stage. Put students in a room with conc=
ept artists and people discussing medieval archetypes
and students on the whole embrace the opportunity to work in a group and t=
o work on major unique projects that matter to them.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">Computer Science is full of crea=
tives<a></a><a></a> who are fascinated with story, activity, grou-pwor=
k<a></a><a></a> and making things. Humanities is filled with excellent comm=
unicators who understand story, analysis and communication.
The students respect each others roles in the pipelines, and sometimes the=
programmers want to research story or create the textures or graphics. Som=
etimes the Humanities students are surprisingly good programmers. Students =
don't see a insurmountable divide
between the degrees, the Universities have manufactured this 'us' and 'the=
m' mentality.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">To me, Humanities is where everything=
comes together. We have flexibility<a></a>, we embrace creativity, we enco=
urage experimentation, we have codes (behaviour, words, but we have rules t=
hat can translate into code), it's a
natural fit. What's odd to me is that it does not happen more.</font></div=
>
<div> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">We shouldn't have to defend the Human=
ities, we're a part of a larger pipeline. University is a space to le=
arn, to find your place in the world, to work on projects, to be challenged=
and expanded intellectually. The pipeline
model seems to work, they make amazing things, students who would never no=
rmally meet learn to respect and work with one another and they see th=
e value of working across disciplines<a></a>.
</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">Of course, I'm exhausted all the time=
. But how I love my work.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">Regards,</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma">Katie</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2" face=3D"tahoma"></font> </div>
<div><font size=3D"2">Katie Cavanagh<a></a><a></a><br>
Coordinator, BCA Digital Media<br>
Screen and Media Studies<br>
HUMN128<a></a><a></a><br>
Flinders University<br>
GPO Box 2100<br>
Adelaide 5001<br>
South Australia<br>
p: 61 8 8201 2077<br>
f: 61 8 8201 3635<br>
e: katie.cavanagh at flinders.edu.au<a></a><a></a></div>
</font>
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<font color=3D"#000000" size=3D"2" face=3D"Tahoma"><b>From:</b> idc-bounces=
@mailman.thing.net [idc-bounces at mailman.thing.net] On Behalf Of Mark Marino=
[markcmarino at gmail.com]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, 6 June 2011 3:39 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> iDC at mailman.thing.net<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [iDC] The Future of the Humanities<br>
</font><br>
</div>
<div></div>
<div>Hi, IDC-ers,<br>
<br>
Last summer I met a computer scientist who shared with me his hierarchy of =
knowledge. In his schema, the sciences were at the top and all branch=
es of knowledge and learning in the academy fell underneath. By=
his account, at one time, due to a collective
ignorance, much of 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 sea of Science where it belonged. By his account med=
icine, astronomy, and many other realms
of knowledge had been relocated to their rightful place, leaving only cert=
ain types of speculative philosophy, perhaps a few arts, and other trivial =
or superfluous enterprises.<br>
<br>
I don't think this computer scientist was misrepresenting his perspective t=
o be provocative, though I do believe he knew exactly which of my buttons h=
e was pushing. His pedestal for positivism was built upon a larger pr=
ogress narrative (that a humanities course
might even critique). Nonetheless, it took a long coffee break with =
a philosophy librarian friend to 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 colleg=
e education, when the digital humanities seem to be flourishing, and when t=
he US and global economies are still flagging sending students into their m=
ost pragmatic shells, I wonder if
it isn't time for a new kind of humanities course. I guess I a=
m thinking about something different than what I know to be "digital h=
umanities" in as much as that can mean the humanities plus computers (=
not to reduce -- I just don't mean that version of DH.)<br>
<br>
Remember last year and Cornell's President Skorton's address?<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/01/humanities" target=
=3D"_blank">http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/01/humanities</a><br=
>
<br>
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