Who
We Are
Working
as part of the UAH community, our responsiblity is to promote
the humanities. The term humanities is closely related
to the term humanity which dates back to the 14th century.
However, humanities is more specific than the state of being
human; it refers specifically to learning through fields
of study that are not classified as hard science. The following
definition appears on the website of the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
According
to the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities
Act, "The term 'humanities' includes, but is not limited
to, the study of the following: language, both modern and
classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence;
philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the
history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects
of social sciences which have humanistic content and employ
humanistic methods; and the study and application of the
humanities to the human environment with particular attention
to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history
and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions
of national life."
Like
the NEH, our goal is to promote the humanities
because we share the belief that democracy depends on
wisdom. Wisdom,
it has been said, is the wise use of knowledge. The UAH
Humanities Center ensures the continued growth and stability
of subjects important to the development of wisdom among
individuals. We do this, believing that our increased
understanding of ourselves, of each other, and of our
histories, provides
the tools that will enable us to use our expanding knowledge
wisely.
It is the goal of the UAH Humanities Center to propel the
University toward recognition as an academic leader
in the
humanities. In doing this we will provide a cultural
environment that encourages learning through research
and public discussion.
