Humanities in a Corporation named University
Start Date
15-4-2023 12:15 PM
End Date
15-4-2023 1:00 PM
Description
The precarious nature of employment opportunities for humanities scholars has been widely acknowledged in recent years. The ongoing financial constraints faced by the field of humanities have created a state of insecurity for those pursuing academic careers within this discipline. In light of this situation, one proposed solution has been the re-orientation of career pathways for humanities graduates, emphasizing developing skills that are marketable to non-academic sectors. Platforms such as Beyond the Professoriate and The Versatile PhD as well as literature such as Leaving Academia by Christopher L. Caterine and Professor is in by Karen Kelsky, have sought to guide how to navigate such career transitions. However, this approach places undue emphasis on the marketability of the humanities and detriments the discipline's non-instrumental or intrinsic values, such as fostering empathy, tolerance, and an understanding of the complexity of human experience. This paper aims to draw attention to the ethical and societal significance of humanities and the need to preserve these values in the face of increasing economic pressures.
Humanities in a Corporation named University
The precarious nature of employment opportunities for humanities scholars has been widely acknowledged in recent years. The ongoing financial constraints faced by the field of humanities have created a state of insecurity for those pursuing academic careers within this discipline. In light of this situation, one proposed solution has been the re-orientation of career pathways for humanities graduates, emphasizing developing skills that are marketable to non-academic sectors. Platforms such as Beyond the Professoriate and The Versatile PhD as well as literature such as Leaving Academia by Christopher L. Caterine and Professor is in by Karen Kelsky, have sought to guide how to navigate such career transitions. However, this approach places undue emphasis on the marketability of the humanities and detriments the discipline's non-instrumental or intrinsic values, such as fostering empathy, tolerance, and an understanding of the complexity of human experience. This paper aims to draw attention to the ethical and societal significance of humanities and the need to preserve these values in the face of increasing economic pressures.