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Ouniversity of Vermont Humanities Center HUMANITIES UNIVERSITYO OF VERMONT HUMANITIES CENTER 1 SUPPORTING, UNITING, AND CELEBRATING THE HUMANITIES, CREATIVE ARTS, & UVM COMMUNITY HUMANITIES It is common these days to hear about a “crisis” in the humanities. The story goes that the humanities and arts are increasingly marginal to a research university because they have lost their relevance in a world dominated by technological innovations and the pressures of the marketplace. At UVM, we see a different story. Instead of a crisis, we see a revolution in which humanities and arts are leading the way. From the way religion transforms politics to how the arts infuse and transform the mass media, and from the influence of narrative in medicine to questions of ethics in the board- room, the concerns and perspectives of the humanities and arts are not only pervasive, they are necessary. In our research, creative output, and teaching, UVM’s faculty, stu- dents, and alumni demonstrate the relevance of the humanities and fine arts in the ongoing construction of a just and democratic society. We believe strongly that a central mission of the humanities and fine arts is to create a thoughtful, creative, and engaged citizenry willing and able to participate in meaningful public dialogue. The Humanities Center supports this mission by serving as a resource, a centralizing force—and a provocateur—for promot- ing the critical reflection, curricular and extracurricular initiatives, faculty development, and community interactions to explore the big and enduring questions and dilemmas that face us. At the same time, since innovation isn’t necessarily wisdom, we also strive to create opportunities for reflection and the kind of care, deliberation, and imagination that have always characterized humanities scholarship, creativity, and teaching. But the best way to tell the story about the importance of the humanities and fine arts is not to argue about their value but to dis- play what they are capable of doing in and beyond the university. In this publication, we hope to share with you the exciting things hap- pening at UVM, and we look forward to having you join us in the ongoing, vibrant conversation. David Jenemann and Luis Vivanco Co-Directors, UVM Humanities Center MARIO MORGADO January 2015 2 3 INSIDE HUMANITIES CENTER “Try putting global warming or AIDS into just one category, nature or culture. The problems that we have in the world today require that we bring a lot of PAGE 19 different approaches to the table…” “I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got all of hip hop PAGE 64 before me, let’s see what I can do.’” Building Community on campus and beyond “We live in a very atomized society, and the university Photograph by Andy Duback by bringing engaged citizens together for lively, can be very atomized, too. One of the challenges respectful dialogue about big ideas and the joy of reading.” is to take the allure of study and enrich PAGE 76 The book being discussed isAn Idea Whose it with a sense of social relevance. Good Time Has Come, journalist Todd Purdum’s dramatic non-fiction account of the creation of students help each other become good students.” U.S. Civil Rights Act. The text was announced With the inaugural meeting as the group’s inaugural book earlier this year of the Mayor’s Book Group on on the fiftieth anniversary of the landmark “It was a small moment. Just me in my yard. November 12, a very public, new 1964 legislation, which outlawed discrimina- initiative for UVM’s Humanities tion on race, color, sex, religion, or national But it was so big to me: ‘My gosh, the whole Center brought together the campus origin. and Burlington communities in the “The UVM Humanities Center works to world. I can work outside. I can do anything.’ North Lounge of Billings Library. build civic and intellectual communities by It clicked.” PAGE 33 Burlington Mayor Miro Wein- bringing people together to explore topics and berger defined his hopes for the ideas that impact today’s real-world issues,” idea: “The Mayor’s Book Group says Professor David Jenemann, who co-directs will explore thought-provoking UVM’s Humanities Center with Professor Luis “It’s about how you move in the world in ideas relevant to civic life, culture, Vivanco. “We see the humanistic disciplines— and history. This exciting partner- with their skills in critical-thinking, historical an ethical way that acknowledges ship between the city and UVM’s perspective, persuasion, debate, and ethics—as PAGE 9 Humanities Center is a great essential to that engagement.” disparities and provides access to opportunity to enhance the social real human conditions.” and cultural fabric of Burlington 4 5 HUMANITIES CENTER 1875 Ellen Hamilton and Lida MILESTONES IN UVM Mason graduate and join HUMANITIES HISTORY UVM’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the first women in 1829 the nation admitted to the President James Marsh society. Two years later, writes the introductory new UVM graduate George essay to the American Washington Henderson edition of Samuel Taylor becomes the first Coleridge’s “Aids to FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES African-American in the Reflection.” Marsh’s Several new grants through the Humanities Center nation admitted to the thoughts have a major academic honorary. support the scholarly and research work of faculty impact on the Concord, and also students. Collaborative, inter-disciplinary SUPPORTING THE Massachusetts, circle projects are particularly encouraged. HUMANITIES AT UVM of Transcendentalist Multi-Disciplinary Collegial Networks: In addition to providing ongoing support 1961 philosophers and writers, The program offers financial support (up to750 $ ) for Humanities Center initiatives, Professor Raul Hilberg including Ralph Waldo to facilitate collaboration among small groups of opportunities for giving include: publishes his landmark Emerson. faculty interested in exploring central themes that • An endowed lecture series on humanities volume The Destruction connect their work. and civic engagement of the European Jews. The The Lattie F. Coor Collaborative Fellowships: book is a critical step in Supports the formation of one multi-disciplinary • Two endowed chairs in humanities beginning to establish Hil- 1836 cohort of up to five UVM faculty members to and fine arts Professor Joseph Torrey berg’s place as the world’s examine issues of pressing concern in the human- • An endowment to ensure sustainability returns from a trip to ities and fine arts. Each cohort will have one of the Mayor’s Book Club foremost Holocaust scholar. Europe where, under the Organizing Fellow (funded with $2,500) and up directive of President John • Private match for a National Endowment to four Collaborative Fellows ($2,000 each). In for the Humanities Challenge Grant Wheeler, he traveled to addition, the group as a whole is provided with • A “community sabbatical” program, 1994 buy books to build UVM’s $2,500 for collective activities. Annie Proulx, UVM Class of which provides an accomplished library collection. As Humanities Center Undergraduate Summer Fellows: 1969, receives the Pulitzer individual from the community with Torrey arrives in Burling- Two awards, one in humanities and one in fine Prize for her novel The a semester on campus for reflection ton Harbor via steamboat, arts, for undergraduates to pursue scholarly and and engagement with scholars and artists Shipping News, also students herald his return creative projects over the summer months. Each selected for the National • Student and faculty awards for community- by ringing the college bell award is $5,000. Book Award. Subsequent Humanities Center Undergraduate Prizes: based research and creative projects and lighting some 1,600 works by Proulx will include Two awards of $500 each for outstanding projects candles in the window of • Innovative pedagogies workshops the short story “Brokeback in humanities and fine arts. Old Mill. for faculty Mountain,” winner of the Lattie F. Coor Programming Grants • Funds for renovation of Billings, O. Henry Prize in 1998 and in the Humanities and Fine Arts: the new center’s home beginning in 2016 A special fund to support faculty-initiated the basis for director Ang conferences, workshops, symposia, and uvm.edu/humanitiescenter Lee’s film adaptation. performances. Up to $2,500 support. 6 7 PHILOSOPHY what many scientists think they’re showing—because many of these scientists have no idea what free will means!” If by free will they mean, “something in you which is not itself caused by anything—or Critical Questions of Choice some system in your brain which is capable of causing you to act and is simultaneously aware of itself act- ing …” Harp says, trailing off and shaking his head. “Then they have a terrible idea of free will that was discredited six hundred years ago.” Which is why Harp sees how he and other philosophers play a role in “observing the observers,” he says, and also as partners in developing more profound psychological and behavioral sciences. Take the heroin user. “What does it mean to call them an addict?” Harp asks. “Some behav- ioral economists might say there is no such thing as addiction. If they’re placed in a situation where this drug becomes much more expensive than that drug, they’ll make a choice to use something else.” Whereas some neurologists may say, “of course there Randall Harp, assistant professor of but that’s not your fault,’” Harp says, but figuring is addiction,” Harp says, and point to by joshua brown philosophy, tips back in his chair and directs out “what the boundaries of agency are is very evidence of brain disease. his eyes toward the ceiling when he is thinking. important,” he adds. “A growing strategy in law— “One of the things that philoso- Musing out loud, he quotes famed philosopher neuro-law—is to reduce all of the things we do, phers can do is to say: here are eight Ludwig Wittgenstein from memory: “What is to some extent, to something like seizures.” Not different views about how addiction left over if I subtract the fact that my arm goes guilty, your honor, my brain did it.
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