Digital Humanities Seminar

The Digital Humanities Seminar, co-sponsored by the Institute for Digital Research in the Humanities (IDRH), provides a forum for sharing and discussion of new digitally-enabled humanities research efforts, with a specific focus on what digital humanities tools and practices can do for a range of humanistic research. For more information, contact Arienne Dwyer (Anthropology, 864-2649, anthlinguist (at) ku (dot) edu) or Brian Rosenbloom (KU Libraries, 864-8883, brianlee@ku.edu)
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Early Modern Seminar

The Early Modern Seminar meets each semester to discuss original work relating to any aspect of the history, culture, literature, art, or society of any part of the world between c.1500 and c.1800.  If you would like more information contact Luis Corteguera (History, 864-9469, lcortegu@ku.edu) or Patricia Manning (Spanish & Portuguese, 864-0282, pwmannin@ku.edu).
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Gender Seminar

The Gender Seminar studies gender as a basic concept in humanistic scholarship and/or as a fundamental organizing principle in social life. If you would like more information, contact Ann Schofield (Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, 864-2304, schofield@ku.edu).

Latin American Seminar

The seminar explores the regional, topical, and methodological research strengths and concerns of the KU Latin Americanist faculty and graduate students. For more information contact Chris Brown (Geography, 864-5543, jcbrown2@ku.edu) or Peter Herlihy (Geography, 864-4292, herlihy@ku.edu).

Modernities Seminar

“Modernities” is a flexible space within which scholars from a spectrum of disciplines can investigate issues revolving around the core theme of “the modern.” These include socio-economic questions about “modernization” as well as cultural/aesthetic projects of “modernism,” and their implications for contemporary conditions of globalization and postmodernity. For more information, contact Ben Chappell (American Studies, 864-2236, bchap@ku.edu), or Christopher Forth (Humanities & Western Civilization, 864-8036, cforth@ku.edu).

Nature & Culture Seminar

Nature is our oldest home and our newest challenge.  This seminar brings the perspective of the humanities to bear on past and present environmental issues. It includes research on the changing perception, representation, and valuation of nature in human life, on the reciprocal impact of environmental change on social change, and on the variety of ways we use, consume, manage, and revere the earth.  For more information, contact Byron Caminero-Santangelo (English, 864-4520, bsantang@ku.edu).

Peace, War & Global Change Seminar

The Peace, War & Global Change Seminar provides a forum for those with interests in approaches at national and international levels to avoid, ameliorate and conclude organized conflicts; the origins, conduct and effects of warfare; the philosophical and practical dimensions of efforts to resolve inter-societal conflicts; and both broad analyses and case studies of the manifestations of what is commonly termed “globalization.” If you would like more information, contact Jennifer Weber (History, 864-9457, jlweber@ku.edu) or Ted Wilson (864-9460, taw@ku.edu).

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American Seminar

The American Seminar was centrally concerned with social, political, cultural, and artistic life and expressions in the United States.  Focused on both historical periods and contemporary times, the American Seminar provided an opportunity for scholars and the public to grapple with current research that illuminated social problems, movements, policies, inequalities, the arts and culture, and social changes that affect people in the United States. Seminar directors were Tanya Golash Boza (Sociology, 864-9424, tgb@ku.edu), Jessica Vasquez (Sociology, 864-9403, vasquez@ku.edu) and Ayu Saraswati (Women, Gender and Sexuality, 864-2307, ayu@ku.edu).

Andean & Amazonian World Seminar

This seminar, an outgrowth of the 2003-2006 faculty exchange between KU and the University of San Marcos in Peru, provided a forum to examine the complex interweave uniting Andean and Amazonian languages, landscapes, cultures, expressive traditions and historical legacies.  While Peru was a focus, other Andean and Amazonian countries (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil) were also considered. Seminar directors were Bartholemew Dean (Anthropology, 864-2648, bdean@ku.edu), Peter Herlihy (Geography/Center of Latin American Studies, 864-4292, herlihy@ku.edu), Elizabeth Kuznesof (History/Center of Latin American Studies, 864-4213, kuznesof@ku.edu) and John Simmons (Natural History Museum, 864-4508, jsimmons@ku.edu).

Before 1500 Seminar

The Before 1500 Seminar welcomed participation and contributions from all faculty members and graduate students interested in the stuff of ancient and medieval cultures of East and West.  Past presentations have included topics in French literature, medieval and ancient history, Spanish literature, Japanese medieval history, and Greek and Roman culture.  Topics were not confined to the period before 1500.  Seminar directors were Caroline Jewers (French & Italian, 864-9076, cjewers@ku.edu); Pam Gordon (Classics, 864-2396, pgordon@ku.edu); and Emma Scioli (Classics, 864-2546, scioli@ku.edu).

British Seminar

All aspects of British history and literature, including politics, religion, culture, and intellectual and art history were covered in this seminar.  Seminar directors were Ann Rowland (English, 864-2584, arowland@ku.edu) and Karenbeth Zacharias (History, 913-484-6403, bfarmer@ku.edu).

Globalization(s) Seminar

The Globalization(s) Seminar provided an opportunity for scholars across campus to exchange ideas and scholarship on any issue associated with globalizations—past and present, large-scale and small-scale, near and far, real and imagined.  We encouraged diverse approaches to understanding the global, and we welcomed participants from all disciplines. Seminar directors were Erik Herron (Political Science, 864-9027, eherron@ku.edu) and Eric Hanley (Sociology, 864-9412, hanley@ku.edu).

Health & Humanities Seminar

This seminar provided a platform for the multi-disciplinary discussion of issues at the health-politics-society-lived experience crossroads, and fostered an ongoing and mutually rewarding interdisciplinary dialogue by focusing on health-related issues such as: health and migration; health and the emergence of new technologies; disease and race; health, disease and social memory; health and social trust; history of epidemics; and diseases in the context of globalization, amongst others.  Seminar directors were Tanya Hart, American Studies/Women’s Studies (864-2083; tanyah@ku.edu) and Ebenezer Obadare, Sociology (864-9405; obadare@ku.edu).

Indigenous & African Experiences in the Americas Seminar

The Indigenous & African Experiences in the Americas Seminar explored the intersectional analysis of race, ethnicity and culture and challenges the existing binary concepts of race. Seminar directors were Zanice Bond de Pérez (864-7884, zbperez@ku.edu), Jim Leiker (jleiker1@jccc.net) and Julia Good Fox (749-8404 ext. 325, jgoodfox@haskell.edu).

Inequality Seminar

This seminar brought together humanists and social scientists studying social inequalities in wealth, education, housing, health, and crime.  In addition to investigating competing empirical explanations of these inequalities, and the historical, political, and ideological contexts that have perpetuated and sustained them, we critically discussed and assessed some of the ethical, legal, and public policy prescriptions for dealing with social inequalities.  By working together we aimed to provide a forum to explore possibilities for fruitful collaborate research between humanists and social scientists and to stimulate and encourage such activity.  The theme for 2009-2010 was Educational Inequality.  Seminar directors were Derrick Darby (Philosophy, 864-1969, ddarby@ku.edu) and Donna Ginther (Economics, 864-3251, dginther@ku.edu).

Performance & Culture Seminar

The Performance & Culture Seminar shared research about the broad spectrum of the human activity we call “performance,” referring to theatre, film, dance, music and even including ceremonies and rituals, popular entertainment, sports, play, etc. Seminar directors were Stuart Day (Spanish & Portuguese, 864-0286, day@ku.edu) and Henry Bial (Theatre & Film, 864-2767, hbial@ku.edu).

Philosophy & Literature Seminar

This seminar explored questions concerning two mainstays of humanistic study--philosophy and literature (including relevant cultural studies)--and their inter-relationships, interactions, and interfaces.  Topics included considerations of philosophical or theoretical aspects of literature, literary aspects of philosophy, and the relative definition of each domain in a variety of cultures or historical periods, or by different groups and voices.  Seminar directors were Richard Cole (Philosophy, emeritus, 842-6085, nobledog@aol.com) and William O. Scott (English, 864-2504, wscott@ku.edu).

Poetics Seminar

The Poetics Seminar brought together scholars, critics and poets from the University and the surrounding community for discussions of “poetics,” an emerging field that stands at the intersection of literary criticism, literary theory and poetic practice. Seminar director was Jonathan Mayhew (Spanish and Portuguese, 864-0287, jmayhew@ku.edu).