A New Deal for the Humanities
Subtitle: Liberal Arts and the Future of Public Higher Education
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Published: Nov 11, 2015
Language: eng
Format: paperback
Number of pages: 210
ISBN-13: 9780813573236
Description: Many in higher education fear that the humanities are facing a crisis. But even if the rhetoric about "crisis" is overblown, humanities departments do face increasing pressure from administrators, politicians, parents, and students. In A New Deal for the Humanities, Gordon Hutner and Feisal G. Mohamed bring together ten prominent scholars who address the history, the present state, and the future direction of the humanities. Contributions are spirited and thought-provoking, covering a diverse range of topics. For instance, they deplore the push by administrations to narrow learning into quantifiable outcomes as well as the demands of state governments for more practical, usable training. Indeed, for those who suggest that a college education should be "practical" - that is it should lean toward the sciences and engineering, where the high-paying jobs are - this book points out that while a few nations produce as many technicians as the United States does, America is still renowned worldwide for its innovation and creativity, skills taught most effectively in the humanities. Most importantly, the essays in this collection examine ways to make the humanities even more effective, such as offering a broader array of options than the traditional major/minor scheme, options that combine a student's professional and intellectual interests, like the new medical humanities programs. -- from back cover.
Notes: Source title: A New Deal for the Humanities: Liberal Arts and the Future of Public Higher Education (The American Campus)