SE Valley Times

Jeffrey Wilson, a teacher-scholar at Harvard University, has launched a new journal titled Public Humanities. The advisory board of the journal notably includes four professors from Arizona State University (ASU), reflecting what Wilson describes as an "alignment of mission" between the journal and ASU's humanities scholars.

Wilson explains that ASU’s representation on the board is due to the university’s commitment to making humanities scholarship accessible to the public. He states, “We’re looking to serve as many people possible with the highest-quality education, and when you’re looking to do that, you hire scholars of a certain spirit.”

The ASU faculty members on the advisory board are Devoney Looser, Regents Professor of English; Ron Broglio, director of the Humanities Institute; Sir Jonathan Bate, Regents and Foundation Professor of English; and Neal Lester, founding director of Project Humanities. These individuals have contributed articles to Public Humanities' initial "Manifesto Issue."

Looser's article emphasizes the importance for academics to share their research with broader audiences. She advocates for creating public-facing components alongside scholar-facing research.

Lester challenges traditional views on empathy in his piece by suggesting it should involve engaging directly with others rather than attempting to feel what they feel.

Bate addresses what he calls a “naming problem” in humanities disciplines. He suggests innovative approaches such as a Bachelor of Arts in culture, technology, and environment offered by ASU could provide new pathways into applied humanities.

Broglio highlights ASU’s broad approach to humanities which encourages outreach beyond academia. He notes that support from upper administration allows for more experimental work aimed at impacting diverse communities.

Public Humanities aims to be a platform for knowledge exchange among various stakeholders including scholars, students, activists, journalists, policymakers, and interested readers.