Humanities Division
23rd U.S. Poet Laureate Discusses Native American Identity and Poetry
Joy Harjo, the 23rd U.S. poet laureate and a member of the Mvskoke Nation, discussed Native American identity through poetry during a Monday webinar co-hosted by the Harvard University Native American Program and the Harvard Art Museums.
Thomas B. F. Cummins Appointed Director of Dumbarton Oaks
Harvard History of Art and Architecture professor Thomas B. F. Cummins has been named the new director of Dumbarton Oaks, a Harvard-owned research institution in Washington, D.C., according to a Tuesday press release.
Nina C. de W. Ingrao, ‘Devoted’ and ‘Gracious’ Spanish Instructor for Four Decades at Harvard, Dies at 87
Nina C. de W. Ingrao, who served Harvard for 40 consecutive years between her roles as a Spanish Language preceptor at the College and the Extension School, died at 87 on Feb. 3.
Choreographer, Musician Speak to Harvard Students about Art in ‘Our Moment’
Two pioneering artists spoke on their work, the symbiosis of art and social justice, and creativity amid the coronavirus pandemic at a virtual event hosted by Harvard’s Office for the Arts Wednesday.
Professor Ezra Vogel, ‘A Towering Figure in East Asian Studies’ with a ‘Heart of Gold,’ Dies at 90
Vogel, who served as Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences, Emeritus, and was described by his colleagues as a visionary in East Asian studies, died on Dec. 20 at age 90 of complications from cancer surgery.
Despite Decrease in Concentrators, Students and Faculty Alike Defend the Humanities
Of the 18 concentrations in the Arts and Humanities division, 10 have experienced significant decreases in numbers of concentrators, six remained relatively steady, and two saw slight increases between 2015 and 2019.
Historians Discuss American Internationalism in Newly Released Books
Harvard History Professor Nancy F. Cott and Brown History Professor Samuel Zipp shared the stories of five twentieth century American internationalists and the legacy of their writings in a Mahindra Humanities Center webinar Monday.
Scholars Trace Violent History of Immigration Policy at 'Border Inhumanities' Panel
Scholars discussed the origins and evolution of migration and border politics at a panel discussion Monday evening, pointing out violence throughout the history of American immigration policy.
English Department Discusses Emerging Issues in Literature in New Virtual Forum
Harvard’s English department has developed a new online forum to discuss emerging issues and trends within the field of literature as the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into the fall semester and keeps the University’s scholars apart.
A.R.T. Announces Initial Action Steps to Further Anti-Racism Commitment
The American Repertory Theater, led by Artistic Director Diane M. Paulus and Executive Producer Diane Borger, announced initial steps toward establishing its commitment to anti-racism on its website earlier this month.
Arts and Humanities Division Outlines New Undergraduate Fellowship Program
The Arts and Humanities Division has announced initial details on their website regarding the launch of a new humanities fellowship program in the spring of 2021.
Arts and Humanities Ring in Fall Semester with New Interdisciplinary Courses
As Harvard begins its first all-online semester, the Arts and Humanities division is offering a new set of interdisciplinary courses designed to meet the needs of a virtual classroom.
College Will Require All Fall Courses to Guarantee Students Two to Four Hours of Live Interaction
Though all courses will be virtual this fall, Harvard College expects professors to guarantee every student — regardless of time zone — between two and four hours of live interaction with course staff or peers each week, according to official College guidelines.
Ceramics Program Reboots Courses through Virtual Instruction
Harvard Ceramics Program kicked off its summer programming Monday with a newly developed set of online courses.
Theater, Dance, and Media Seniors Say Pandemic Threatens Portfolios, Post-Grad Prospects
Some seniors studying Theater, Dance, and Media say they are concerned about their portfolios and post-grad plans in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Faculty Voice Concerns Over Discrimination Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders During Pandemic
Faculty in Harvard’s Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations say they are concerned about increased discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus Disrupts Writing, Research for Harvard Faculty on Leave
While the novel coronavirus pandemic has uprooted the lives of many faculty working on campus this year — forcing them to switch to remote teaching and ramp down laboratory research — it has also disrupted the work of many faculty currently on leave.
Music Department Chair Suzannah Clark Named Director of Harvard's Mahindra Humanities Center
Music department chair Suzannah E. Clark will serve as the next director of Harvard’s Mahindra Humanities Center, the University announced in a Wednesday press release.
Hum 10 Students Criticize Lack of Racial Diversity on Syllabus
Though the Humanities 10a and 10b curriculum has evolved over the past several years, some students say they are still dissatisfied with the lack of racial diversity in the year-long course’s reading list.
Harvard Digitizes Colonial North America Archives
A decade-long project to digitize every 17th- and 18th- century manuscript and archive in Harvard’s collections relating to North America will be finished this semester, according to University Archivist Megan Sniffin-Marinoff.
Arts and Humanities Affiliates Discuss Inclusion In Wake of ‘Hateful’ Message Sent to Faculty Member
Dean of Arts and Humanities Robin E. Kelsey held a town hall Tuesday to discuss inclusion and belonging, and update division affiliates on the investigation into a “hateful” message delivered to a Harvard faculty member last month.
Responding to a ‘Crisis in the Humanities,’ Harvard History Dept. Rebrands
Most notably, this fall the department rolled out a new series of “foundations” courses geared toward freshmen and students outside the concentration, including those attempting to fulfill the General Education program’s new Social Sciences distributional requirement.
Gay Announces Plans to Hire New Ethnic Studies Faculty
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay will hire three to four senior faculty to specialize in Asian American, Latinx, and Muslim American studies during the upcoming academic year, the University announced Monday.
VES Library
The fourth floor of Sever Hall houses the Visual and Environmental Studies department's film library. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences will discuss a potential change to the department's name.
Creative Writing Program Receives Record Number of Applications, Moves into Lamont
For the second year in a row, a record number of students applied to and enrolled in the English department’s creative writing workshops. This spring, the program includes 24 workshops — another all-time high — in both fiction and non-fiction disciplines.