Arts & Culture

Advancing Discovery: Faculty Research in the Humanities—Part III

Tuesday, May 8, 2018, By Rob Enslin

“I’ve always found this hostility to be kind of ridiculous,” says historian Geoffrey C. Ward, referring to the false silos that can form between members of the Ivory Tower and the lay public—and even among professors, themselves. Known for his longtime association with filmmaker Ken Burns, Ward understands the role of the humanities at a research university such as Syracuse. “Scientists can learn from us [humanists] about the uses of inexactitudes. It’s okay to dream once in a while,” Ward adds.

The third in a four-part series, “Laboratories of Change” looks at emerging trends in humanistic research, including digital humanities and health humanities, with emphasis on the changing roles of academic and research libraries. The article also considers how scientists and humanists work together to challenge traditional notions of identity, in hopes of understanding the origins of what makes us human.