Advancing the Humanities

In September, led by the College of Arts and Sciences, Seattle University officially joined two national associations focused on the advancement of the humanities and humanistic social sciences. In joining the National Humanities Alliance (NHA) and the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), SU is poised to engage in new and meaningful ways to promote the humanities in national conversations, as well as access numerous grant and fellowship opportunities for faculty.  

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid political polarization, racial violence, ongoing wars and climate change, we need the humanities now more than ever to help us understand and make meaning about our place in a rapidly changing world,” says Dr. Monica J. Casper, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “NHA and ACLS provide resources, connection and advocacy for scholars and teachers so that we can better serve our students and communities.”

The National Humanities Alliance, composed of more than 260 member organizations, brings together higher education, libraries, museums and scholarly organizations to advocate for humanities education and humanities in the public sphere. The coalition promotes research, lobbies for federal funding and engages in local and state-level public humanities. As a member institution, SU will help to keep the humanities at the forefront of national higher ed priorities and shape both national and local conversations around funding for the humanities, including through Humanities Advocacy Day activities.

The American Council of Learned Societies, a federation of national organizations and universities, supports scholarship for humanities and humanistic social sciences faculty, connecting researchers with funding and with one another. Membership in the council opens dozens of new opportunities for grants and fellowships for SU faculty, as well as participation in national conferences. Founded after World War I, ACLS engages with the core value that knowledge is a public good.

“Joining NHA and ACLS will enhance Seattle University’s academic reputation, strengthen our commitment to the humanities and support faculty scholarship that serves the common good of our communities,” says Provost Shane P. Martin.

The humanities are central to the mission of Seattle University as a Jesuit institution and every SU student is required to take several courses in the humanities through the Core Curriculum. In facilitating SU’s membership in these two organizations, the College of Arts and Sciences continues to show its commitment to national advocacy and excellence in scholarship for the humanities, as well as concrete support for faculty and students in these fields.