Engaging the Local Humanities Colloquium & Workshop

Much of the discourse on graduate humanities programs in recent years has gestured towards the notion of “public humanities.” But for many graduate students, this notion remains vague. Exactly who constitutes the “public?” What opportunities exist to meaningfully engage the public in humanities scholarship, especially in a culture that is growing increasingly isolated, anti-intellectual, and critical of the academy? Above all, how does the notion of public humanities challenge one of academia’s oldest unquestioned hierarchies: that of the relationship between “town” and “gown?” This colloquium and workshop seeks to open up a space for graduate students to share their experiences with public humanities by particularly emphasizing the notion of local humanities–that is, not just how our research reaches out beyond the walls of the university, but also how it makes concrete impacts—positive or negative—on the communities we are embedded in.

If you are a graduate student in the humanities who is interested in what public humanities work in Saint Louis looks like, we invite you to join us April 18 from 9AM-2PM in McMillan Cafe! Our panelists will be presenting on their own experience with public humanities work in Saint Louis, as well as guiding us through a workshop in which attendees can inquire about their own ideas for conducting a public humanities project.

Panels will run from 9:00AM-12:00PM.

The workshop will run from 1:00-2:00PM.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please RSVP via the Google form here: