essay about humanities subject

Humanities as Academic Disciplines Essay

Humanities are disciplines in the academic fields and are concerned with the human state. This study is achieved through critical and speculative analysis. Humanities include law, ancient and modern languages, literature, religion, philosophy, history, visual and performing arts. Some of the other subjects that are also categorized as humanities include anthropology, technology, communication studies, area studies, linguistics, and cultural studies. However, these additional subjects are at times referred to as social sciences.

Ancient Greece formed the basis for the study of humanities in the West. However, the evolvement of the seven liberal arts took place during Roman times. The seven liberal arts include grammar, logic, rhetoric, geometry, astronomy, arithmetic, and music. The seven subjects constituted a large part of medieval education and they placed a lot of emphasis on humanities as a “way of doing”, or skills.

Classic humanities are concerned with the study of Western academic tradition. This is especially the case concerning such cultures as the classical antiquity that includes the Roman and Ancient Greek cultures. Today, classical studies are regarded as the foundation of the humanities, although the subject was very unpopular in the 20 th century. History entails the interpretation and study of the record of societies, humans, and institutions.

Knowledge history is made up of not just historical thinking skills, but also a sound understanding of past events as well. On the other hand, the study of classical and modern languages acts as the cornerstone for the study of modern-day humanities. Although linguistics, that is, the scientific study of languages has been defined as social science, nonetheless, it still plays a pivotal role in the field of humanities. About the law, its study borders on the humanities and the social sciences as well, based on an individual’s research perspective on its effects and objectives. Humanism is about the perception that humans can still live a good life without religious or superstitious beliefs.

Scholars who are involved in the study of the humanities are at times referred to as “humanists”. On the other hand, the term also finds use in the description of humanism’s philosophical position. However, this position has since been faced with a lot of resistance from “antihumanist” scholars. A humanist views the world through reasons, experiences, as well as human values shared by the various human divisions.

They seek to live a purposed life by creating meaning in it. The responsibility and work for the greater and common good of the people. In the Middle Ages, seven arts formed the basis for modern humanities. Currently, humanities have been looked down upon as not important but in the real sense, they are very important. We learn the values that we share as humans universally and the possibility of living a humanity-led life (McClay 35).

Works Cited

McClay, Wilfred M. The Burden and Beauty of the Humanities. Arts Education Policy Review , 111.1 (2010): 33-35.

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What Good Are the Humanities?

Why they clash with u.s. culture today, and why they matter..

Reading time min

Leigh Wells

By J. Martin Evans

One of the courses I most enjoy teaching at Stanford is called Tradition and Revolution. Together with Professor Marsh McCall of the Classics Department, I teach it each autumn quarter when it constitutes one of eight or nine options in Stanford’s Introduction to the Humanities program, which all students are required to take in their first year. In it we explore the complex interactions between philosophy, history and literature within three distinct generic traditions: drama, epic and political fiction. Each segment of the course pairs a major classical text with a Renaissance work that imitates and adapts it to answer the needs of a radically different intellectual, historical and aesthetic environment. By means of these juxtapositions we try to illuminate the way in which the relationship between the three major humanistic disciplines changed over time and the accompanying transformations in our understanding of what it means to be human.

Our reading list thus focuses on the literature of classical antiquity and the English Renaissance, and as we go over it on the first day of class I can see many of our students asking themselves: why is the University requiring me to take a course like this? What conceivable relevance can the writings of an ancient Greek philosopher like Plato or a Renaissance English statesman like Sir Thomas More have for a modern American living in the 21st century? Our proper concern, surely, is with the world we live in, and our most worthwhile subjects are the issues—political, social, economic, scientific—that animate that world.

Given their traditional character, it is not hard to understand why the humanities have always tended to go against the grain in a society like ours, which rightly prides itself on its progressive, forward-looking nature, a society which from its very beginnings has been associated with exploration and invention. In California, the home of one of the most vigorous centers of technical innovation anywhere, the role of the humanities is even more counter to the prevailing culture. For here, in the middle of an electronic revolution, we humanists are saying to our students: look back for a moment, too; listen to the past. Look out for a moment as well; listen to other cultures. Think not only about where we are going but how we got to be where we are. Let these humanistic materials we are studying do something to you instead of trying to do something to them.

The humanist’s material is not a mysterious concatenation of natural phenomena or a mass of raw statistical data waiting to be given significance by the ordering mind of the analyst. Our subject matter already has significance and order built into it. It already makes sense. Humanists are the servants of the works they study and teach, not their masters. They don’t expect to do something to their subject; they expect their subject to do something to them.

The obvious question is: what? How do the philosophy, history and literature of other times and other places affect us when we are exposed to them? Granted that they expand our intellectual and emotional vision by liberating us from our cultural parochialism, what purpose is served by such an enlargement of our sensibility? Even though Shakespeare’s Hamlet allows me to apprehend the world through the eyes of a Renaissance English Protestant, and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart allows me to enter into the experience of a contemporary African, what is the value of such knowledge? Why bother to share the consciousness of someone I could never become and would never wish to become?

There are several possible answers, but I shall mention only two. The first argument was vigorously put forward by Ernest L. Boyer and Martin Kaplan in an article entitled “Educating for Survival.” The very survival of our civilization, they claim, depends in large measure on the capacity of its educational system to make us aware of the shared values and experiences that are the cement of any true community. To the extent that the humanities direct our attention to the fundamental human experiences, thoughts and feelings that transcend the social, ethnic and religious differences that divide us, they are strengthening the essential fabric of our society. The point of reading a work like Hamlet is to get beyond those features of the play that distinguish it from our contemporary sensibility. Stripped of his Ptolemaic cosmology, his Lutheran religion, his royalist politics, a 16th-century European prince like Hamlet would appear much the same as we do. The mission of the humanities, Boyer and Kaplan believe, is to reveal to us this universal, immutable, human common denominator.

For a long time I held this view myself, but more recently I have come to the conclusion that there is an alternative or complementary function that the humanities fulfill. Let me quote the English scholar C.S. Lewis’s comments on what he calls “the doctrine of the unchanging human heart.”

“I continue,” he writes, “to admit that if you remove from people the things that make them different, what is left must be the same, and that the Human Heart will certainly appear as Unchanging if you ignore its changes. But I have come to doubt whether the study of this mere lowest common denominator is the best end the student of old poetry can set before himself. . . . Fortunately there is a better way. Instead of stripping the knight of his armor you can try to put his armor on yourself; instead of seeing how the courtier would look without his lace, you can try to see how you would feel with his lace; that is, with his honor, his wit, his royalism, and his gallantries. . . . It is better to study the changes in which the being of the Human Heart largely consists than to amuse ourselves with fictions about its immutability.

“For the truth is that when you have stripped off what the Human Heart actually was in this or that culture, you are left with a miserable abstraction totally unlike the life really lived by any human being. . . . We must therefore turn a deaf ear to scholars who invite us to disregard everything except the permanent and human interest in the works we read. This is like asking us to study Hamlet after the rubbish of the revenge code has been removed, or centipedes when free of their irrelevant legs, or Gothic architecture without the pointed arches. . . . Our plan must be very different—to plunge right into the so-called rubbish, to see the world as if we believed it, and then, while we still hold that position in our imagination, to see what sort of work results.”

In the incredibly complex and diverse society that we call America, this kind of imaginative entrance into the experience of other men and women is especially important and especially rewarding. Enriched as it is by the cultures of Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, American society depends on the ability of its members to recognize and respect difference, to understand our fellow men and women on their terms as well as on ours.

What in studying the humanities we call the imagination, in the sphere of morality we call compassion, fellow-feeling, understanding. Thus Lewis is able to claim that “in the moral sphere, every act of justice or charity involves putting ourselves in the other person’s place and thus of transcending our own competitive particularity. In coming to understand anything, we are rejecting the facts as they are for us in favor of the facts as they are for someone else. The primary impulse of each is to maintain and aggrandize himself. The secondary impulse is to go out of the self, to correct its provincialism, and heal its loneliness. In love, in virtue, in the pursuit of knowledge, and in the study of literature, history, and philosophy, we are doing this.”

I am constantly urging my students, therefore, not to allow the fact that the authors we are reading often held profoundly different opinions from their own to stand between them and the texts they are studying. For in a sense the more divergent from ours the presuppositions a text rests on, the greater its potential value. The person who sees in all things an image of him or her self, who makes friends only with people who share his or her opinions and predispositions, lives in a tiny world.

Both kinds of knowledge, the objective knowledge of the sciences and the social sciences and the subjective knowledge of the humanities are necessary, I believe, if we are to achieve even an approximate understanding of our fellow human beings. And that, I tell my students, is why Stanford has an IHum requirement.

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16.8 Spotlight on … Humanities

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Describe various disciplines in the humanities.
• Evaluate employment opportunities for graduates with humanities degrees.

Although all college instructors value good writing, each area of study has its own set of criteria by which writing is judged. For instance, the loose informal style and speculative content of a reflective essay might be appropriate for an English class but inappropriate for an anthropology class in which the instructor would expect the more formal structures established in that subject area.

As a discipline, the humanities include subjects that focus on human culture and values. Some subjects are literature, languages, classics, art history, film, musicology, philosophy, religion, and often history, which sometimes is placed in the social sciences. The humanities are the foundation of liberal arts and, as such, include a wide variety of writing genres. Research reports, biographies, literary analyses, ethnographies, quantitative reports, proposals, books, journal articles, poetry, film scripts, novels, stories, technical writing, and professional documents are forms of writing particular to the humanities.

As a rule, knowledge in the humanities focuses on texts and on individual ideas, speculations, insights, and imaginative connections. Interpretation in the humanities is thus relatively subjective. Accordingly, much of the writing and research in the humanities is characterized by personal involvement, lively language, and speculative or open-ended conclusions.

The field of English includes the study of not only literature but of literary theory and history, and not only composition but creative and technical writing. In addition, English departments often include linguistics, journalism, folklore, women’s studies, cultural or ethnic studies, and film. In other words, within even one discipline, you might be asked to write several distinct types of papers: personal experience essays for a composition course, analyses for a literature course, abstracts or case studies for a linguistics course, procedural texts for a technical writing course, and short stories for a creative writing course. Consequently, any observations about the different kinds of knowledge and the differing conventions for writing about them are only generalizations. The more carefully you study any one discipline, the more complex it becomes, and the harder it is to make a generalization that does not have numerous explanations.

Careers in the Humanities

Because humanities subjects emphasize critical thinking and clear writing, the skills humanities students obtain are valued in many fields other than the most obvious ones. Humanities majors have gone on to careers in law, medicine (humanities plus pre-med), advertising, journalism, TV and film writing and production, public relations, graphic design, teaching, technical and medical/scientific writing, human resources, and many others. For more information about career opportunities for humanities students, see these sites:

• Humanities and Social Sciences Careers
• Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs for Liberal Arts Majors
• 25 Great Jobs for Humanities Majors

Students’ Stories

Despite strong interest in the humanities—especially in reading, writing, and language—some students avoid humanities subjects as majors because they think they won’t find jobs after graduation. Such fear, however, is unwarranted, as many organizations actively seek students who major in languages or in other humanities disciplines. These graduates are valued for their ability to interpret and analyze text and to write clear, concise, and compelling prose. Moreover, employers realize that students who concentrate on studying people—whether real or fictional—develop insights into human behavior and understanding of how to deal with it. For example, these students who graduated with degrees in humanities subjects have found rewarding work in humanities-related and business fields.

Gabriela Torres majored in film studies, with a minor in theater. Although more interested in the technical aspects of both, she took creative writing classes and enjoyed performing in several college productions. Soon after graduation, Gabriela joined the human resources (HR) department of midsized corporation. Her job is to train new hires and conduct in-service workshops for current employees. Recently her role has expanded to writing, producing, and acting in training videos in which she uses the skills she learned in college—and more.

Derrek Wilson became an international studies major after he received a summer stipend to study in Europe. After only a few weeks there and trips to historic sites, Derrek says he got “hooked on history.” The broad focus of his interdisciplinary major allowed him to take courses in humanities subjects: history, geography, religion, archaeology, and world literature. He had studied Spanish in high school and continued in college. Derrek graduated last year and now works as an international program coordinator for his university. Responsible for logistics of foreign students coming to the United States and for American students going abroad, he oversees housing accommodations, student visas, and travel arrangements. He loves his job and the time he gets to spend in different countries, but he plans to go to law school in a few years—with, you guessed it, a specialty in international and immigration law.

Despite his parents’ warnings that he’d never find a good job, Nick Marelli majored in English. He put his literary interests to work in college as managing editor of the literary magazine and arts editor of the newspaper. When he graduated, he applied, on a whim (and to please his parents), for a management trainee position at a large insurance company. Thinking he would get nowhere without business courses, he was surprised when a recruiter called him for an interview. The interviewer then told him that the company actively seeks English majors because they know how to read carefully, digest and summarize information, think critically, and write clearly, concisely, and correctly. Nick says, “I was surprised when I heard someone other than an English teacher say that. I really like my work, where I’m learning a lot on the spot rather than in a classroom.”

Thinking, Writing, and Publishing

Critical writing requires critical thinking. When an individual or collaborative team articulates their perspective, they provide new knowledge for audiences. In essence, all texts have potential to create new knowledge. A writer of any type of text has the potential to enter a conversation and show audiences new ways to look at a subject.

Learning how to write analytically and critically offers a skill set for crafting various genres, such as information reports, proposals, cost/benefit analyses, instructions, and so on. After you have completed your analysis for this chapter, consider submitting it to an open-access academic journal that highlights the work of undergraduate students in the humanities, such as these:

Undergraduate Journal of Humanistic Studies

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College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Humanities at Illinois

Why studying the humanities matters, why study the humanities, the world needs humanists.

In a world that’s increasingly automated, people who can use words effectively are vital to building relationships and perceiving new possibilities. Countless leaders agree—for example, Steve Jobs has mentioned that "it's in Apple's DNA that technology married with liberal arts married with the humanities yields the result that makes our heart sing."

When you graduate with a humanities degree , you'll have a skill set that employers are actively looking for—humanities students gain expertise in creative thinking, communication, problem solving, relationship building, and more. No matter what you want to do, choosing a humanities major from the University of Illinois will prepare you for a bright future.

Hear from English and Latina/Latino studies alumna Issy why humanities education is important for all students, read on to learn more, and then apply to a humanities major at the University of Illinois.

What are the humanities?

What is the study of humanities ? Humanities involve exploring human life's individual, cultural, societal, and experiential aspects. Studying humanities helps us understand ourselves, others, and the world. If you're interested in humanities, you'll find a variety of subjects to choose from.

The objects of the humanities are the values we embrace, the stories we tell to celebrate those values, and the languages we use to tell those stories. The humanities cover the whole spectrum of human cultures across the entire span of human history.

The College of LAS offers dozens of humanities majors , so as a student at UIUC you're sure to find a path that's right for you. Many of your classes will be small enough to allow intense, in-depth discussion of important topics, guided by teachers who are leading experts in their fields. You will learn from people who know you and take a personal interest in your success. This experiential, interactive learning is deeply satisfying, a source of enjoyment that is one good reason to major in the humanities.

What you learn also will be useful in any career you pursue. Specialized training for a specific profession has a very short shelf life, but the knowledge and skills that come with studying the humanities never go out of date.

To study the humanities is to cultivate the essential qualities you will need in order to achieve your personal and professional goals as you help to create a better society for all human beings.

Why are the humanities important?

Studying the humanities allows you to understand yourself and others better, offering better contexts to analyze the human experience.

So, why is humanities important, and why is it critical to study them? Human values are influenced by   religion, socioeconomic background, culture, and even geographical location. The humanities help us understand the core aspects of human life in context to the world around us.

The study of humanities also helps us better prepare for a better future. They teach you skills in the areas of critical thinking, creativity, reasoning, and compassion. Whatever your focus, you'll learn the stories that shape our world, helping you see what connects all of us!

W hat is humanities in college ? What will your courses look like? Just a few popular humanities majors include English, philosophy, gender studies, and history. And while these studies might center around different topics, settings, and even periods in human history, they all share a  common goal of examining how we are connected.

Humanities studies may seem less concrete than STEM studies, and some might consider them a luxury we can't afford in a culture that values capital over society. This raises some common questions: Why is humanities important right now? Is it even relevant to our lives today? The answer to those questions lie in how the humanities help us in  understanding human culture , emotions, and history—which is vital now more than ever!

As technology advances—such as with artificial intelligence and machine learning becoming more common—it might seem like human beings are becoming less central to the world's workings. That may lead to asking, "why is humanities important if humans are required less in day-to-day operations?" The reality, though, is that rapid changes and development in our world only make the constant aspects of human nature more crucial to explore and celebrate. A deep understanding of humanity gained by studying the humanities helps us not only navigate but also thrive through these changes. The humanities are vital to preserving the core of what makes us human.

So, why study humanities? 

What is the study of humanities going to do for my career? Why is humanities important for my work ?

These are two questions commonly asked when students consider an academic journey in the humanities. The journey from classroom to career may not seem as direct for humanities students as those following more defined career paths. However, it’s that nebulous nature that make them such excellent choices. The skills you learn from your studies, like creative thinking, emotional intelligence, and communication, are essential to any career and industry.

And if you are asked, "What is humanities studies ' advantage compared to more 'concrete' subjects like math or science?," you can simply answer that the humanities make you stand out. Employers highly value the nuanced skills gained from humanities studies . In today's rapidly evolving job market, the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and understand complex social and cultural contexts can set candidates apart.

Ready to take the next step? 

You’ll be ready for any future you can imagine by earning a degree in the humanities from the University of Illinois. Apply to a humanities major today!

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Your Guide to Writing a Humanity Essay

Humanity is showing compassion and kindness to others. Writing a humanity essay involves analyzing various aspects of humanity in detail. This article gives you a guide on how to write a humanity essay.

Humanity essay examines the traits, beliefs, relationships, and experiences of people. It focuses on what it is to be human, as well as the struggles, victories, and bonds we make. The human experience is vast and complex, and writing a humanity essay paper allows you to explore this whether your assignment is to write on historical events, personal experiences, philosophical ideas, or societal issues.

How to write a humanity essay

Below is how you write a humanity essay:

• Choose a topic

Humanity is a broad subject thus you should narrow it down to one of its subtopics. For instance, on a topic like war, you can narrow down to the causes and effects of a war. You should choose a topic that you are interested in and compose a good essay about it.

• Write an essay outline

After choosing the topic, you should conduct in-depth research and write the information from the research in an essay outline. You should properly structure your essay outline where you note down the key points of every section of the essay. This includes the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Once you start writing your humanity essay, you should use the essay outline as the point of reference.

• Write the introduction

You should begin the introduction with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be an interesting fact about your topic or a rhetorical question. Give background information on the topic and state its relevance. Write a strong thesis statement describing the essay’s main idea. For a better understanding of how to write the introduction, you should research various humanities essay introduction examples.

• Write the body

The body describes the essay’s theme in depth. You should write well-structured paragraphs with a topic sentence that introduces the paragraph’s key point. Then write middle sentences giving fact-based information or examples of the paragraph’s key point. You should also give your interpretation. Complete the paragraphs with a concluding sentence.

Each paragraph should have a unique key point and if two paragraphs are about the same point use proper transition words such as ‘in addition’, ‘however’, or ‘moreover’. When writing the paragraphs, you should explore the essay’s theme giving your analysis and backing it with factual information or statistics. Always cite all the sources you researched your essay from using the instructed writing format.

• Write the conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of the humanity essay thus you should not bring new information to it. You should summarize the essay’s key point. Rephrase the thesis statement and state its significance. Complete the conclusion with a closing statement or a call to action.

Using the steps above, you will be able to compose a good humanity essay. You can structure your humanity essay into a 5-paragraph essay . Research various humanities essay examples to properly comprehend the humanities essay structure.

What kind of essays do humanities use

Below are the various kinds of essays that humanities use:

• Analytical essays

Analytical essays dissect a complicated subject into its constituent parts and examine the connections, importance, and ramifications of each. Critical thinking and making connections between various aspects are prerequisites for these writings.

• Expository Essays

Expository essays give in-depth explanations of a concept on a topic. These essays offer a thorough and impartial investigation of the topic, frequently with the use of illustrations, proof, and understandable explanations.

• Comparative essays

A comparative essay entails comparing and analyzing two or more concepts, books, artworks, and historical events. These essays draw attention to the similarities and differences between the concepts being compared as well as a thorough comprehension of each.

• Literary Analysis Essays

Literary analysis essays analyze and interpret literary works, including plays, novels, and poetry. The topics, characters, symbolism, storytelling devices, and historical background of the work are all explored in depth in these studies.

• Argumentative essay

Argumentative essays provide a coherent argument and back it up with facts, logic, and refutations. These essays require the writer to take a stance on a certain subject and defend their argument throughout the essay.

Importance of humanities in our lives

Below is the importance of studying humanities and the importance of humanities in our lives:

• Promoting cultural understanding and empathy

People can immerse themselves in many cultures and historical eras through the study of the humanities. This exposure develops empathy and promotes a culture that is more understanding and aware of the world around them by enabling children to recognize the challenges, victories, and distinctive viewpoints of others.

• Investigating the state of humanity

The humanities investigate the fundamental aspects of life on Earth, including feelings, goals, worldviews, and social structures. Students learn to struggle with age-old concerns about life, morality, and purpose as well as gain knowledge about the intricacies of human nature via the analysis of literature and philosophy.

• Developing analytical and problem-solving skills

Education in the humanities fosters critical thinking, the assessment of opposing points of view, and the methodical solution to challenging issues. Students can challenge presumptions, take into account different viewpoints, and make well-informed decisions by delving into complex texts, artwork, and historical settings.

• Improving expression and communication

Good education is characterized by effective communication. Humanities studies improve one’s ability to write, speak, and read critically, allowing one to express ideas nuancedly, convincingly, and clearly.

• Cultural heritage preservation

Humanities subjects like literature and art conservation guarantee that human civilization is preserved for coming generations. Societies can comprehend the development of human expression and preserve a close relationship to their historical heritage by studying ancient writings, artifacts, and creative works.

Using the key points above you can compose an importance of humanities in our lives essay and the importance of studying humanities essay.

Tips for writing a humanity essay

• Write an outline

Before you start writing your essay, you should write an outline. Writing an outline helps to properly plan and organize your ideas for the essay. In the outline, you should write the key points of the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Once you begin writing the essay, use the outline as a guide.

• Come up with a strong thesis statement

The thesis statement describes the main purpose of the essay. It should be able to show the reader what your essay entails. For an argumentative essay, the thesis statement should be your stance in the argument while for an expository essay, the thesis statement should be the essay’s key idea.

• Use the correct structure

When writing your essay, you should use the correct humanities essay structure. This ensures there is a flow of information throughout your essay. You should start with the introduction describing what your essay will entail, write the body paragraphs that describe the theme of the essay in-depth, and complete with a conclusion which is a summary of the whole essay.

• Use proper transition words

When transitioning from one paragraph to the next, you should use proper transition words. You should always have a unique idea for each paragraph and if one paragraph has the same idea as the next you should use proper transition words. Examples of transition words include ‘additionally’, ‘therefore’, or ‘however’. Using transition words provides a consistent flow of information throughout your essay.

• Cite all the sources

When writing humanities essays, you conduct research from different academic sources such as books, articles, journals, or internet blogs. You should properly cite all the sources used in your essay. When citing the sources, you should use the writing format instructed to use in your essay.

• Follow all the instructions

When writing your essay, you should follow all the given instructions. This includes the word count and the writing format. You should avoid plagiarism and write an original paper. Plagiarized essays can be easily detected and you can get harsh academic repercussions for that.

• Proofread the essay

You should proofread the humanity essay severally to omit any mistakes. Proofreading also helps you to check if your work is properly organized. In addition, you can also run your essay on Grammarly to remove any missed mistakes.

Humanities topics ideas

Below are the humanities topics for the essay:

• Importance of human rights
• Social changes in third-world countries
• Causes of interstate conflicts
• Eradication of worldwide poverty
• Importance of preservation of historical facts
• Ethical issues in the society
• Ways to fight corruption in developed countries
• Benefits and disadvantages of early marriages
• The role of the judicial system
• Effects of racism

The above are a few humanities research paper topics you can use for your humanities papers. When choosing a topic, you should choose a topic that you are interested in and can write a good essay about it.

Writing a humanity essay requires you to choose a topic, do research, and compose a well-structured essay. This article gives you a guide on how to write a humanity essay. If you need help with your humanity essay, we provide professional help with essays .

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• Published: 09 April 2019

The place of the humanities in today’s knowledge society

• Rosário Couto Costa   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7505-4455 1  

Palgrave Communications volume  5 , Article number:  38 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

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Over the past four decades, the humanities have been subject to a progressive devaluation within the academic world, with early instances of this phenomenon tracing back to the USA and the UK. There are several clues as to how the university has generally been placing a lower importance on these fields, such as through the elimination of courses or even whole departments. It is worth mentioning that this discrimination against humanities degrees is indirect in nature, as it is in fact mostly the result of the systematic promotion of other fields, particularly, for instance, business management. Such a phenomenon has nonetheless resulted in a considerable reduction in the percentage of humanities graduates within a set of 30 OECD countries, when compared to other areas. In some countries, a decline can even be observed in relation to their absolute numbers, especially with regards to doctorate degrees. This article sheds some light on examples of international political guidelines, laid out by the OECD and the World Bank, which have contributed to this devaluation. It takes a look at the impacts of shrinking resources within academic departments of the humanities, both inside and outside of the university, while assessing the benefits and value of studying these fields. A case is made that a society that is assumed to be ideally based on knowledge should be more permeable and welcoming to the different and unique disciplines that produce it, placing fair and impartial value on its respective fields.

Introduction

In August 2017, the World Humanities Conference took place in Liège, Belgium. The theme was Challenges and Responsibilities for a Planet in Transition , and it was organized in cooperation with UNESCO. The rationale for this conference can be summarized as follows:

“The humanities were at the heart of both public debate and the political arena until the Second World War. In recent years their part was fading and they have been marginalized. It is crucial to stop their marginalization, restore them and impose their presence in the public sphere as well as in science policies Footnote 1 ”

I participated in this event and it gave me hope that it would be possible to reverse the general trend of devaluating the humanities, something that has been going on since the early 1980s, namely in the UK and in the USA (Costa, 2016 ). Such a phenomenon has coexisted with an acceleration in globalization and a widespread rise of neoliberalism, two trends which have been gradual and simultaneous in their origins (Heywood, 2014 ). In regard to the growth of neoliberalism, while in the 1980s only four countries had what could be reasonably categorized as neoliberal governments (Chile, New Zealand, the UK and the USA), at the beginning of the 21 st century that number had multiplied all around the world (Peck, 2012 ).

This marginalization of the humanities has been a gradual process that manifested itself at different times throughout the countries in which it can be observed. A global approach was used for studying this process (Costa, 2016 ), along with available OECD data which consisted of a subset of thirty countries and recorded the period between 2000 and 2012 Footnote 2 . Under these circumstances, “graduates by field of education” Footnote 3 is arguably one of the few relevant indicators that we can establish. On analysing it, one can conclude that despite some variance in tendencies for each individual nation, there is an overall shift that allows us to confidently corroborate such a devaluation when we compare figures for the year 2000 with those of 2012. This approach was further complemented with the analysis of case studies and existing academic literature on the topic (Costa, 2016 ).

With that in mind, it seems paradoxical that in a so-called knowledge society, one that should be ‘nurtured by its diversity and its capacities’ (UNESCO, 2005 , p.17), not all knowledge fields would be valued in an equitable manner. So why does it happen and why namely at the expense of the humanities? Conversely, what are the reasons for looking at the humanities in a more positive light? These reasons have long been known, but can nowadays lack sufficient recognition. The goal of this comment is to address these questions.

The way to find the answers to these discussion points begins with an analysis of political documents written within the framework of international organisations such as the World Bank and the OECD during the transition into the 21st century. This analysis identifies some political guidelines that have plausibly influenced the global shift in the number of graduates by field of education occuring between 2000 and 2012. Afterwards, we take a look at the impact that these guidelines have had both within and outside of the University. Once done, we reflect on the benefits of studying the humanities and on the complementarity of the various knowledge fields within society.

The political constraints of the devaluation of the humanities in an academic context

Taking into account the already long history of the University, its most recent transformation has been marked by the principles of neoliberalism and the pace of this change has increased since 1998 (Altbach et al., 2009 ). It is in this particular institutional context that the devaluation of the humanities has been taking place. If we pay attention to the general guidelines that have been at the core of this paradigm shift, we can see that the humanities have been confronted not so much with a direct and explicit denial of their benefits, but with the exalting of skills and traits strongly connected to other knowledge fields, such as business administration. This reasoning is based on the following analysis of some specific documents that are enlightening examples of this occurrence.

At The World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century , organized by UNESCO in 1998, in Paris, two talks expanded on how the University was already undergoing a process of transformation—one from a practical point of view, and the second from a conceptual one.

In the first talk, titled The Financing and Management of Higher Education: a Status Report on Worldwide Reforms (Johnstone et al. 1998 ), the authors explain how the World Bank implemented its political agenda in order to reform the University throughout the 90s in several countries. A political decision to reduce public investment fundamentally altered the financial and managerial scenarios of the University. A result of this was that the academic sector was steered towards the markets, with an explicit mention in the report that this shift was meant to align with neoliberal principles.

The consistency of this reform has been hailed as remarkable by the cited authors. It has followed similar patterns across all countries independently of existing differences between them with regards to political and economic systems, states of industrial and technological development, and the structuring elements of the higher education system itself.

In the other talk, titled Higher Education Relevance in the 21st Century , Michael Gibbons ( 1998 ), counselor to the World Bank, affirms the urgency of a new paradigm for the University, and theorizes such a transformation. Accordingly, the main mission of the University would be to serve the economy, specifically through the training of human resources, as well as the production of knowledge, for that purpose. Other functions would be cast into the background. In order for this institution to adjust to its new priorities, the author affirms that a new culture would have to impose itself on the University: a new way of considering accountability—so called “new accountability”—with financial accounting at its core; the dissemination of a new practice of highly ideological management (“new public management” or “new managerialism”); and a new way of utilizing human resources with the goal of maximizing efficiency. In short, an entrepreneurial outlook on the concept of “University”.

A few years later, the document The New Economy. Beyond the Hype (OECD, 2001 ) essentially anticipated the impact of the then new model of University on the prioritization of the various fields of knowledge. The success of this “New Economy”, where a noticeable rise in investment in information and communication technologies (ICT) was apparent, required individuals qualified not only to work with these technologies but also fit to answer the new organizational challenges brought about by them. Due to this, areas such as ICT and management began to become promoted more strongly, namely in higher education and research, and the connection between higher education and the job market strengthened.

An indirect discrimination of the humanities was thus induced, with real-world consequences. One of the symptoms relating to such a social phenomenon has been a progressively lower relative representation of graduates in humanities and, in some countries, also of the absolute representation, especially with regards to doctorate degrees. For instance, in the period between 2000 and 2012, while the number of humanities graduates rose by a factor of 1.4—and that of total graduates by a factor of 1.6 overall—those in the area of business administration increased by a factor of 1.8 Footnote 4 . For perspective, this accounts for virtually a fifth of total graduates. In other words, although academia within the humanities is growing, it is doing so at a disproportionately lower pace than when compared with other fields.

As Pierre Bourdieu had already outlined in Homo Academicvs (Bourdieu, 1984 ), alterations in the relative representation of students of certain areas, and thus of respective University staff, have an impact not only on power balances within the University, but also on its influence on society itself. The author saw these as morphological changes—a point of view that shapes the following considerations.

The impact of shrinking resources within academic departments of the humanities

With regard to the internal impact of shrinking resources within academic departments of the humanities, we can identify several clues as to how the University has generally been placing a lower importance on the humanities Footnote 5 :

Cuts in the financing of research and teaching;

a lower share of the space and structure within the University, through the elimination of courses and even departments;

undervalued human resources (fewer job offers, falling wages, overloaded work schedules, aging staff, lack of opportunities for the young);

a decrease in library resources and the like;

the use of evaluation methods typical of scientific activity and which are unadjusted to the specificity of the humanities, indirectly resulting in pressure to change communication practices specific to these fields and weakening their social impact;

the extent to which some fields in the humanities are weakened, reaching dimensions so residual that they become at risk of disappearing.

These phenomena, even when not simultaneous, contribute to paving the way to further devaluation as they ultimately work together to make the humanities look progressively less attractive. In an academic context we are essentially confronted with a vicious cycle of devaluation. The next two sections deal with a series of reasons for why it becomes urgent to break such a cycle.

If on the one hand we are witnessing a shrinking of resources within academic departments of the humanities, on the other we can see a clear reduction in the relative representation of humanities graduates entering the job market. Without going too much into detail on the interdependence between these two phenomena, they stand as symptoms of a clear loss of influence of the humanities on society itself – perhaps the result of a growing incomprehension of their usefulness. Indeed, the field appears to be held hostage to a way of appreciation that is overly focused on the economy, established by those who govern and apparently accepted by most of those governed. Governors in particular tend to have a peculiar, restricted and limited way of evaluating, classifying and neglecting the humanities, even if opinions amongst themselves are not always in agreement. Through this lens, the field can be pretentiously seen as a luxury, as economically irrelevant, or even as useless - worse still, as an obstacle to access the job market Footnote 6 .

These dynamics make it even more difficult for academics in the humanities to convince others of the relevance of their area. Therefore, when competing with other areas for resources, the overall trend has been to deprioritise the humanities.

In the above-mentioned report titled Towards Knowledge Societies , UNESCO recognized that political choices tend sometimes to place a high importance on specific disciplines, namely ‘at the expense of the humanities’ (UNESCO, 2005 , p. 90). These words are coated with a subtle yet sharp sense of loss. But what is in fact lost when the humanities see their presence in society diminished?

The benefits of studying the humanities

An analysis of several sources of information, such as surveys, studies and websites, has made it possible to understand the point of view of different social actors who believe there are advantages to graduating in the humanities (Costa, 2016 ). Students (Armitage et al., 2013 ), graduates (Lamb et al., 2012 ) and researchers (Levitt et al., 2010 ) in the humanities share their opinion on what the main advantages are, and their takes coincide with the way humanities courses are promoted on the websites of the universities that were taken into account in the analysis Footnote 7 . As it would turn out, these advantages match the profile of the ideal employee as outlined by a group of employers as a condition to achieve success at their companies, according to a separate study that is unrelated to the humanities in particular (Hart Research Associates, 2013 ). In other words, even neoliberal standards and concerns are adequately addressed.

At its core, this acknowledgement of the value of the humanities can be looked at in three independent, mutually reinforcing levels: the comprehensive knowledge, skills and mindset that come with studying the field, and which are not easily outdated. These assets represent the genuine and specific character of studying these disciplines, and substantially differ from the priorities set by the political guidelines mentioned earlier. The following picture clarifies the scope of each of these levels (Fig. 1 ).

Benefits of studying the humanities. Source: adapted from Costa, 2017 , with permission of the Portuguese Association of Professionals in Sociology of Organizations and Work–APSIOT. The figure is not covered by the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

The attraction of studying the humanities lies precisely in that which one sets out to know and experiment with when one opts to study them. History, philosophy, languages and literature, to mention a few, are nuclear subjects that give us direct access to knowledge on that which is fundamentally and irreducibly human.

The challenge that this knowledge presents us with, and the effort of interpreting and attributing meaning to ourselves and that which surrounds us, are enhancers of the skills and mindset highlighted in the above graphic and their value is undeniable. Critical thought, acknowledgement of others, the ability to adjust to different realities and so forth are indispensable traits in any situation—in any institution, organization, government or company. It would thus follow that the humanities should be as explicitly and directly promoted by public policy as is specialized knowledge that directly serves firms and markets.

In spite of the value that can be recognized in studying the humanities, it stands that in the last few decades education in the field has been reduced to an almost insignificant dimension relative to other areas. It should be noted that demand in higher education is representative not just of the expectations of the students, or even of their educational and social backgrounds. It is also conditioned by the choices of a large group of social actors, interdependent amongst themselves Footnote 8 , such as decision makers – be it national or international, political or institutional –, employers and parents. But this depreciation has not been exclusive to higher education only. It has led to generalized deficits in knowledge, sensitivity and imagination, cognitive resources which are necessary to the acknowledgement of real problems within society and likewise to the development of possible solutions. The ability for citizens to possess and demonstrate a mindset of critical thinking has in this way been undermined.

One can thus argue that, at the very least from a social standpoint, much could be lost here. Martha Nussbaum warned in 2010 about the dangers this poses to democracy itself. The number of billionaires has nearly doubled as wealth has become even more concentrated in the last ten years since the financial crisis, worsening social inequalities (OXFAM, 2019 ). A society of consumption and uncontrolled, unregulated and acritical exploitation of natural resources is hindering sustainable development. Perhaps somewhat ironically, even the market economy registers some losses of its own in this scenario. The University of Oxford studied the career path of a group of their graduates in humanities, who had been students from 1960–1989, and subsequently produced a report that ‘shines a light on the breadth and variety of roles in society that they adopt, and the striking consistency with which they have had successful careers in sectors driving economic growth’ (Kreager, 2013 , p. 1). This conclusion contradicts the vision, or perhaps the bias, according to which graduations within the humanities are considered useless and of no value, especially for the economy and the labour market in general. The TED Talk Why tech needs the humanities Footnote 9 (December 2017) addresses this issue in the light yet personal manner of someone who has experienced it first hand.

On the complementarity of the various knowledge fields within society

In contrast to the trend within the humanities, from 2000 to 2012 and as previously mentioned, graduates in the area of business administration grew both in numbers and in relevance. Georges Corm ( 2013 ) considers that a new wave of employees, trained in accordance with the neoliberal ideas, has emerged in the job market. In his opinion, this is noticeable for instance in the case of MBAs, which in general have a similar format in use in the best schools around the world. Engwall et al. ( 2010 ) had already come to the conclusion that these graduates have become the new elite, taking up the leadership positions within organizations, replacing graduates namely in law and in engineering.

According to Colin Crouch ( 2016 ), ‘financial expertise has become the privileged form of knowledge, trumping other kinds, because it is embedded in the operation of […] the institutions that ensure profit maximization […]. Under certain conditions this dominance of financial knowledge can become self-destructive, destroying other forms of knowledge on which its own future depends’ (ibid., p. 34). Indeed, ‘serious problems arise when one kind of knowledge systematically triumphs over others’ (ibid., p. 35), a sentiment the author illustrates by giving examples related to engineering and geology. It can be argued that such a large pool of graduates and post-graduates in business administration has severely disrupted the balance and the complementarity of wisdom in society.

The environmental disasters and social crises that have marked the last decade, and which we have all witnessed, mean that the priority which had been given to some fields of knowledge is a concern not just of the academic community, but that it should instead be seen as an issue for all of society. If we start discrediting certain kinds of knowledge, we might end up discrediting all which are not in accordance with the interests that prevail in society at any given point in time, interests which in turn might not necessarily have the common good as their priority. This would be akin to opening a Pandora’s box.

Where has this led us? For instance, few of us are unaware of the difficulties that scientific evidence faces today in order to be appreciated and accepted by people who are farthest from the world of science, and who will more easily trust populist discourses (Baron, 2016 ; Boyd, 2016 ; Gluckman, 2017 ; Horton and Brown, 2018 ). Current disinvestment in the teachings of philosophy, particularly in the young, pulls us away from the basic foundations of knowledge and science, ultimately furthering the establishment of a post-truth society.

Concluding remarks

The process of devaluation of the humanities fortunately has not been enough to nullify the voice and ongoing work of their community. The World Humanities Conference, mentioned at the very beginning of this text, is a sign of the vitality and pertinence that this field still holds. When we look at the topics discussed at this conference, they are undoubtedly of great relevance for the society of today: ‘Humanity and the environment’; ‘Cultural identities, cultural diversities and intercultural relations: a global multicultural humanity’; ‘Borders and migrations’; ‘Heritage’; ‘History, memory and politics’; ‘The humanities in a changing world. What changes the world and in the world? What changes the humanities and in the humanities?’; and ‘Rebuilding the humanities, rebuilding humanism’. Events like this conference allow for the hope that a new and virtuous cycle for the humanities could be on the upswing for the benefit of all of society. One which will be more permeable and welcoming to all knowledge and skills, valuing all of its fields in a fair and impartial manner. Ultimately, the hope is to have a society that is zealous and proactive in the protection of a rich diversity of knowledge from the establishment and dominance of political hierarchies.

In: http://www.humanities2017.org/en .

Set of years for which OECD data are available in a usable way (verified in 23 May 2018 at OECD.Stat).

According to the ISCED 1997 (levels 5A and 6)—International Standard Classification of Education 1997 (first and second stages of tertiary education).

For this indicator, data for a subset of thirty OECD countries were used.

This systematization is based on the interpretation of a plurality of official statistics and reports on several countries (Costa, 2016 ).

Observations based on several publications, some of which are included in the bibliography (Benneworth and Jongbloed, 2010 ; Bod, 2011 ; Bok, 2007 ; Brinkley, 2009 ; Classen, 2012 ; Donoghue, 2010 ; European University Association, 2011 ; Fish, 2010 ; Gewirtz and Cribb, 2013 ; Gumport, 2000 ; Nussbaum, 2010 ; Weiland, 1992 ).

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Hilbert College Global Online Blog

Why are the humanities important, written by: hilbert college   •  feb 9, 2023.

Why Are the Humanities Important? ¶

Do you love art, literature, poetry and philosophy? Do you crave deep discussions about societal issues, the media we create and consume, and how humans make meaning?

The humanities are the academic disciplines of human culture, art, language and history. Unlike the sciences, which apply scientific methods to answer questions about the natural world and behavior, the humanities have no single method or tools of inquiry.

Students in the humanities study texts of all kinds—from ancient books and artworks to tweets and TV shows. They study the works of great thinkers throughout history, including the Buddha, Homer, Aristotle, Dante, Descartes, Nietzsche, Austen, Thoreau, Darwin, Marx, Du Bois and King.

Humanities careers can be deeply rewarding. For students having trouble choosing between the disciplines that the humanities have to offer, a degree in liberal studies may be the perfect path. A liberal studies program prepares students for various exciting careers and teaches lifelong learning skills that can aid graduates in any career path they take.

Why We Need the Humanities ¶

The humanities play a central role in shaping daily life. People sometimes think that to understand our society they must study facts: budget allocations, environmental patterns, available resources and so on. However, facts alone don’t motivate people. We care about facts only when they mean something to us. No one cares how many blades of grass grow on the White House lawn, for example.

Facts gain meaning in a larger context of human values. The humanities are important because they offer students opportunities to discover, understand and evaluate society’s values at various points in history and across every culture.

The fields of study in the humanities include the following:

• Literature —the study of the written word, including fiction, poetry and drama
• History —the study of documented human activity
• Philosophy —(literally translated from Greek as “the love of wisdom”) the study of ideas; comprising many subfields, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics
• Visual arts —the study of artworks, such as painting, drawing, ceramics and sculpture
• Performing arts —the study of art created with the human body as the medium, such as theater, dance and music

Benefits of Studying the Humanities ¶

There are many reasons why the humanities are important, from personal development and intellectual curiosity to preparation for successful humanities careers—as well as careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and the social sciences.

1. Learn How to Think and Communicate Well ¶

A liberal arts degree prepares students to think critically. Because the study of the humanities involves analyzing and understanding diverse and sometimes dense texts—such as ancient Greek plays, 16th century Dutch paintings, American jazz music and contemporary LGBTQ+ poetry—students become skilled at noticing and appreciating details that students educated in other fields might miss.

Humanities courses often ask students to engage with complex texts, ideas and artistic expressions; this can help them develop the critical thinking skills they need to understand and appreciate art, language and culture.

Humanities courses also give students the tools they need to communicate complex ideas in writing and speaking to a wide range of academic and nonacademic audiences. Students learn how to organize their ideas in a clear, organized way and write compelling arguments that can persuade their audiences.

2. Ask the Big Questions ¶

Students who earn a liberal arts degree gain a deeper understanding of human culture and history. Their classes present opportunities to learn about humans who lived long ago yet faced similar questions to us today:

• How can I live a meaningful life?
• What does it mean to be a good person?
• What’s it like to be myself?
• How can we live well with others, especially those who are different from us?
• What’s really important or worth doing?

3. Gain a Deeper Appreciation for Art, Language and Culture ¶

Humanities courses often explore art, language and culture from different parts of the world and in different languages. Through the study of art, music, literature and other forms of expression, students are exposed to a wide range of perspectives. In this way, the humanities help students understand and appreciate the diversity of human expression and, in turn, can deepen their enjoyment of the richness and complexity of human culture.

Additionally, the study of the humanities encourages students to put themselves in other people’s shoes, to grapple with their different experiences. Through liberal arts studies, students in the humanities can develop empathy that makes them better friends, citizens and members of diverse communities.

4. Understand Historical Context ¶

Humanities courses place artistic and cultural expressions within their historical context. This can help students understand how and why certain works were created and how they reflect the values and concerns of the time when they were produced.

5. Explore What Interests You ¶

Ultimately, the humanities attract students who have an interest in ideas, art, language and culture. Studying the humanities has the benefit of enabling students with these interests to explore their passions.

The bottom line? Studying the humanities can have several benefits. Students in the humanities develop:

• Critical thinking skills, such as the ability to analyze dense texts and understand arguments
• A richer understanding of human culture and history
• Keen communication and writing skills
• Enhanced capacity for creative expression
• Deeper empathy for people from different cultures

6. Prepare for Diverse Careers ¶

Humanities graduates are able to pursue various career paths. A broad liberal arts education prepares students for careers in fields such as education, journalism, law and business. A humanities degree can prepare graduates for:

• Research and analysis , such as market research, policy analysis and political consulting
• Nonprofit work , social work and advocacy
• Arts and media industries , such as museum and gallery support and media production
• Law, lobbying or government relations
• Business and management , such as in marketing, advertising or public relations
• Library and information science , or information technology
• Education , including teachers, curriculum designers and school administrators
• Content creation , including writing, editing and publishing

Employers value the strong critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills that humanities degree holders possess.

5 Humanities Careers ¶

Humanities graduates gain the skills and experience to thrive in many different fields. Consider these five humanities careers and related fields for graduates with a liberal studies degree.

1. Public Relations Specialist ¶

Public relations (PR) specialists are professionals who help individuals, organizations and companies communicate with public audiences. First and foremost, their job is to manage their organizations’ or clients’ reputation. PR specialists use various tactics, such as social media, events like fundraisers and other media relations activities to shape and maintain their clients’ public image.

PR specialists have many different roles and responsibilities as part of their daily activities:

• Creating and distributing press releases
• Monitoring and analyzing media coverage (such as tracking their clients’ names in the news)
• Organizing events
• Responding to media inquiries
• Evaluating the effectiveness of PR campaigns

How a Liberal Studies Degree Prepares Graduates for PR ¶

Liberal studies majors are required to participate in class discussions and presentations, which can help them develop strong speaking skills. PR specialists often give presentations and speak to the media, so strong speaking skills are a must.

PR specialists must also be experts in their audience. The empathy and critical thinking skills that graduates develop while they earn their degree enables them to craft tailored, effective messages to diverse audiences as PR specialists.

Public Relations Specialist Salary ¶

The median annual salary for PR specialists was $62,800 in May 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS expects the demand for PR specialists to grow by 8% between 2021 and 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.

The earning potential for PR specialists can vary. The size of the employer can affect the salary, as can the PR specialist’s level of experience and education and the specific duties and responsibilities of the job.

In general, PR specialists working for big companies in dense urban areas tend to earn more than those working for smaller businesses or in rural areas. Also, PR specialists working in science, health care and technology tend to earn more than those working in other industries.

BLS data is a national average, and the salary can also vary by location; for example, since the cost of living is higher in California and New York, the average salaries in those states tend to be higher compared with those in other states.

2. Human Resources Specialist ¶

Human resources (HR) specialists are professionals who are responsible for recruiting, interviewing and hiring employees for an organization. They also handle employee relations, benefits and training. They play a critical role in maintaining a positive and productive work environment for all employees.

How a Liberal Studies Degree Prepares Graduates for HR ¶

Liberal studies majors hone their communication skills through coursework that requires them to write essays, discussion posts, talks and research papers. These skills are critical for HR specialists, who must communicate effectively with company stakeholders, such as employees, managers and corporate leaders.

Additionally, because students who major in liberal studies get to understand the human experience, their classes can provide deeper insight into human behavior, motivation and communication. This understanding can be beneficial in handling employee relations, conflict resolution and other HR-related issues.

Human Resources Specialist Salary ¶

The median annual salary for HR in the U.S. was $122,510 in May 2021, according to the BLS. The demand for HR specialists is expected to grow by 8% between 2021 and 2031, per the BLS, faster than the average for all occupations.

3. Political Scientist ¶

A liberal studies degree not only helps prepare students for media and HR jobs—careers that may be more commonly associated with humanities—but also prepares graduates for successful careers as political scientists.

Political scientists are professionals who study the theory and practice of politics, government and political systems. They use various research methods, such as statistical analysis and historical analysis, to study political phenomena: elections, public opinions, the effects of policy changes. They also predict political trends.

How the Humanities Help With Political Science Jobs ¶

Political scientists need to have a deep understanding of political institutions. They have the skills to analyze complex policy initiatives, evaluate campaign strategies and understand political changes over time.

A liberal studies program provides a solid foundation of critical thinking skills that can sustain a career in political science. First, liberal studies degrees can teach students about the histories and theories of politics. Knowing the history and context of political ideas can be useful when understanding and evaluating current political trends.

Second, graduates with a liberal studies degree become accustomed to communicating with diverse audiences. This is a must to communicate with the public about complex policies and political processes.

Political Scientist Specialist Salary ¶

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for political scientists was $122,510 in May 2021. The BLS projects that employment prospects for political scientists will grow by 6% between 2021 and 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

4. Community Service Manager ¶

Community service managers are professionals who are responsible for overseeing and coordinating programs and services that benefit the local community. They may work for a government agency, nonprofit organization or community-based organization in community health, mental health or community social services.

Community service management includes the following:

• Training and overseeing community service staff and volunteers
• Securing and allocating resources to provide services such as housing assistance, food programs, job training and other forms of social support
• Developing and implementing efficient and effective community policies
• Fundraising and applying for grants grant to secure funding for their programs

In these and many other ways, community service managers play an important role in addressing social issues and improving the quality of life for people in their community.

Community Service Management and Liberal Studies ¶

Liberal studies prepares graduates for careers in community service management by providing the tools for analyzing and evaluating complex issues. These include tools to work through common dilemmas that community service managers may face. Such challenges include the following:

• What’s the best way to allocate scarce community mental health resources, such as limited numbers of counselors and social workers to support people experiencing housing instability?
• What’s the best way to monitor and measure the success of a community service initiative, such as a Meals on Wheels program to support food security for older adults?
• What’s the best way to recruit and train volunteers for community service programs, such as afterschool programs?

Because the humanities teach students how to think critically, graduates with a degree in liberal studies have the skills to think through these complex problems.

Community Service Manager Salary ¶

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for social and community managers was $74,000 in May 2021. The BLS projects that employment prospects for social and community managers will grow by 12% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

5. High School Teacher ¶

High school teachers educate future generations, and graduates with a liberal studies degree have the foundation of critical thinking and communication skills to succeed in this important role.

We need great high school teachers more than ever. The U.S. had a shortage of 300,000 teachers in 2022, according to NPR and the National Education Association The teacher shortage particularly affected rural school districts, where the need for special education teachers is especially high.

How the Humanities Prepare Graduates to Teach ¶

Having a solid understanding of the humanities is important for individuals who want to become a great high school teacher. First, a degree that focuses on the humanities provides graduates with a deep understanding of the subjects that they’ll teach. Liberal studies degrees often include coursework in literature, history, visual arts and other subjects taught in high school, all of which can give graduates a strong foundation in the material.

Second, liberal studies courses often require students to read, analyze and interpret texts, helping future teachers develop the skills they need to effectively teach reading, writing and critical thinking to high school students.

Third, liberal studies courses often include coursework in research methods, which can help graduates develop the skills necessary to design and implement engaging and effective lesson plans.

Finally, liberal studies degrees often include classes on ethics, philosophy and cultural studies, which can give graduates the ability to understand and appreciate different perspectives, cultures and life experiences. This can help future teachers create inclusive and respectful learning environments and help students develop a sense of empathy and understanding toward others.

Overall, a humanities degree can provide graduates with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be effective high school teachers and make a positive impact on the lives of their students.

High School Teacher Salary ¶

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for high school teachers was $61,820 in May 2021. The BLS projects that the number of high school teacher jobs will grow by 5% between 2021 and 2031.

Take the Next Step in Your Humanities Career ¶

A bachelor’s degree in liberal studies is a key step toward a successful humanities career. Whether as a political scientist, a high school teacher or a public relations specialist, a range of careers awaits you. Hilbert College Global’s online Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies offers students the unique opportunity to explore courses across the social sciences, humanities and natural sciences and craft a degree experience around the topics they’re most interested in. Through the liberal studies degree, you’ll gain a strong foundation of knowledge while developing critical thinking and communication skills to promote lifelong learning. Find out how Hilbert College Global can put you on the path to a rewarding career.

Indeed, “13 Jobs for Humanities Majors”

NPR, The Teacher Shortage Is Testing America’s Schools

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, High School Teachers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Human Resources Specialists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Political Scientists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Public Relations Specialists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Social and Community Service Managers

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Dec 13, 2023, learn more about the benefits of receiving your degree from hilbert college.

Essay on Humanity

500 words essay on humanity.

When we say humanity, we can look at it from a lot of different perspectives. One of the most common ways of understanding is that it is a value of kindness and compassion towards other beings. If you look back at history, you will find many acts of cruelty by humans but at the same time, there are also numerous acts of humanity. An essay on humanity will take us through its meaning and importance.

Importance of Humanity

As humans are progressing as a human race into the future, the true essence of humanity is being corrupted slowly. It is essential to remember that the acts of humanity must not have any kind of personal gain behind them like fame, money or power.

The world we live in today is divided by borders but the reach we can have is limitless. We are lucky enough to have the freedom to travel anywhere and experience anything we wish for. A lot of nations fight constantly to acquire land which results in the loss of many innocent lives.

Similarly, other humanitarian crisis like the ones in Yemen, Syria, Myanmar and more costs the lives of more than millions of people. The situation is not resolving anytime soon, thus we need humanity for this.

Most importantly, humanity does not just limit to humans but also caring for the environment and every living being. We must all come together to show true humanity and help out other humans, animals and our environment to heal and prosper.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

The Great Humanitarians

There are many great humanitarians who live among us and also in history. To name a few, we had Mother Teresa , Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana and more. These are just a few of the names which almost everyone knows.

Mother Teresa was a woman who devoted her entire life to serving the poor and needy from a nation. Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet who truly believed in humanity and considered it his true religion.

Similarly, Nelson Mandela was a great humanitarian who worked all his life for those in needs. He never discriminated against any person on the basis of colour, sex, creed or anything.

Further, Mahatma Gandhi serves as a great example of devoting his life to free his country and serve his fellow countrymen. He died serving the country and working for the betterment of his nation. Thus, we must all take inspiration from such great people.

The acts and ways of these great humanitarians serve as a great example for us now to do better in our life. We must all indulge in acts of giving back and coming to help those in need. All in all, humanity arises from selfless acts of compassion.

Conclusion of the Essay on Humanity

As technology and capitalism are evolving at a faster rate in this era, we must all spread humanity wherever possible. When we start practising humanity, we can tackle many big problems like global warming, pollution , extinction of animals and more.

FAQ of Essay on Humanity

Question 1: What is the importance of humanity?

Answer 1: Humanity refers to caring for and helping others whenever and wherever possible. It means helping others at times when they need that help the most. It is important as it helps us forget our selfish interests at times when others need our help.

Question 2: How do we show humanity?

Answer 2: All of us are capable of showing humanity. It can be through acknowledging that human beings are equal, regardless of gender, sex, skin colour or anything. We must all model genuine empathy and show gratitude to each other and express respect and humility.

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Writing in Humanities: Do’s and Don’ts for Researchers

Academic writing in humanities plays a pivotal role in advancing the field and disseminating new ideas to a diverse global audience. With readers from various cultures and first languages, effective writing in humanities and sociology requires clarity, convention, and a structure that supports reader comprehension. To help researchers make their mark in influential international journals, we present five essential dos and five critical don’ts of effective academic writing in humanities and sociology to help researchers create a lucid narrative and showcase concepts that can strengthen your argument.

5 Dos to keep in mind when writing in humanities

Maintain focus on the problem statement.

When writing in humanities, remember to clearly state the aim of the study and the problem statement in the introduction, and refer back to this in later sections so that readers do not stray away from the key message.

Present relevant, interesting original work

Leading international journals will only publish work that is original and fills gaps in our current understanding. So, choose the topic of your research carefully to ensure your work is novel, relevant, and interesting.

Write in clear, concise, simple language

When writing in humanities, it’s always helpful to use short sentences that convey your message in a clear, easy-to-understand way. While you may be tempted to use technical jargon, steer clear of complex terms and convoluted phrases that can be confusing or even misleading for your audience.

Be aware of the target journal’s scope

Some journals focus on a certain aspect of the subject, while others publish work from related fields like anthropology, psychology, economics, political studies, and history. So, when writing in humanities, keep in mind the target journal’s scope, audience, and ensure your research can be understood by non-academics or peers from other fields.

Make your Abstract impactful and discoverable

Abstracts are perhaps the most important part of your manuscript and must be crafted with a lot of thought. Typically, keywords from the Abstract and research paper title are used to drive its success on search engines so use at least one phrase to indicate your problem statement, the methodological approach used and why it is important for readers and understand.

5 Don’ts when writing in humanities

Not including visuals to break the monotony of text.

Visuals are a great way to convey complex concepts at a glance, but these should be designed to clearly communicate ideas, without needing to refer to body text. Avoid complicated or ambiguous visuals, use high-definition images, include captions and legends, provide abbreviations and symbols where required, and appropriately cite copyrights, sources, or permissions.

Not adhering to ethical reporting guidelines

Academic writing in humanities often include human subjects, which requires appropriate permissions, ethical reporting, data sharing, and author identification. Adherence to the standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and the ASA’s Code of Ethics on informed consent is considered mandatory; neglecting to follow these ethical guidelines can be cause for manuscript rejection.

Not paying attention to analyses of results

Most reputed journals require authors to include an analysis of the study in the Discussion section; it is not enough to merely mention the validity of findings. This is a common reason for journal rejection among early career academics, who detail their findings and state the methods and approach but overlook this aspect in their humanities research paper.

Not addressing the limitations of the study

Humanities and sociology involve the study of human society and culture, with all its diversity and complexities. This makes it crucial to mention the limitations of your study in the final paragraphs of your humanities research paper to help readers understand the study’s purpose in the context of existing relevant international literature. Provide a brief summary of the issues you addressed, the restrictions your report uncovered, and how your research can benefit future studies in the field.

Not mentioning the impact and applications

Researchers aspire to conduct studies that are relevant and positively impacts our world, so when writing in humanities, highlight the value of your work. It is essential to explain why your study is relevant to readers and how it directly connects with existing themes and concepts. Highlighting your study’s potential applications, relevance and contribution allows readers to analyze your work from specific perspectives and understand its significance in the broader context.

Don’t miss the chance to learn more on how to write a good humanities research paper , where the writing style, structure, and presentation differs from other disciplines. And when you are writing in humanities, remember to write simply and clearly to connect with a diverse audience. By following the dos and avoiding the don’ts mentioned above, researchers writing in humanities can elevate their manuscripts, engage their readers, and leave a lasting impact on the field. Happy writing!

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Essay based Subjects: What they are and Some Examples

• by Joseph Kenas
• February 11, 2024

Essay writing is a very important part of your academic studies. In your academic journey, you will find essay-based subjects that will require you to write an essay on a particular topic.

Always remember that an essay is just an argument or discussion about a topic. Therefore, you have to write an essay that includes paragraphs each having a theme or purpose.

No matter the subject you are writing about, essays can be simple to write as long as you follow the right structure. 

What is an Essay Based Subject?

In high school, college, or university, the number of essays you write will depend on the subject you have chosen. Subjects that need the student to write a lot of essays for the exams are referred to as essay-based subjects .

History, languages, economics, and literature are some of the subjects that require a student to write frequent essays.

Yet still, most of the humanity and social science subjects also need a lot of research and writing of essay papers. 

Most essay-based subjects require the student to have analytical skills that enable good research for writing papers.

Students who choose these types of subjects need to practice critical thinking at all times. 

A good example is English literature and History. If a student does not have these skills, writing a good essay will become a problem. 

For other essay-based subjects such as physics, students need to be familiar with scientific principles before they can write good essays.

Creativity in thinking and a demonstration of self-discipline are important if you want to achieve good grades in these subjects. Nurture your study skills as a student to excel in subject-based essays

There are also practical subjects such as Music and Art which also have essay writing in some areas. Without imaginative and inventive skills, these subjects will not be easy to pass. 

Is Psychology an Essay-Based Subject?

Psychology is an essay-based subject in many ways. If you are pursuing a degree in psychology, you have to know how to write compelling essays which will be part of your final grades.

The writing of essays in psychology gives students a good opportunity to explore different aspects of this subject. As a psychology student, essay writing allows you to investigate deeply a topic you have chosen.

As long as the topic is within the subject of psychology, professors do give students the privilege to write about what they prefer. In the end, you will be able to sharpen your research, analytical, evaluation and communication skills. 

Since psychology revolves around the study of behavior, essay writing can help to enhance a student’s understanding of behaviors.

Research for essay writing from a psychology perspective will allow the student to learn terms and methods in this subject.

Psychology is a subject that needs a proper understanding of the methodologies involved. Without adequate knowledge and understanding of this subject, writing a good essay will be difficult. 

The choice of essay topic on this subject can be on an area covered in the course. However, students can also choose a good topic of their interest that does not relate to the subject content.

As long as you select a field in psychology that you have an interest in, you can write a good essay. 

30 Essay Based Subjects

• Anthropology 
• Archaeology
• Environmental science 
• Ancient history
• English language
• English literature
• Classical civilization
• Government and politics
• Health and social care
• Media studies
• History of art
• Criminology
• Religious studies
• Design and technology
• Product design
• Political science
• Global politics

How to Study and Pass Essay Based Subjects

It is not easy to prepare for exams involving essay-based subjects. If you want to pass with a good grade, you have to make the most out of your revision. Practice essay writing tips to keep you focused.

Below are effective tips on how to study and pass essay based subjects:

1.Be a Friend of the Teacher                                                                                      

Teachers play a very important role in helping you pass exams. This is what will propel you to the next level of education or give you a good job.

However, they have to prepare hundreds of students for the exams. As such, they may not be able to tell you everything unless you ask.

If you are a friend of the teacher, it will be easy to ask questions and get good tips on how to prepare for your exams.  You’ll also not be the students who have excuses to submit their assignments late.

Most teachers are willing to extend a helping hand to students so that they have an easy time preparing for exams. Therefore, when you need help in your study and revision, take advantage of the teacher’s help.

2. Plan your Revision

With proper planning, revising for essay-based subjects can be effective. You should start your revision in time so that you do not have to cram everything on the last day of the exam.

If you start revising early, you can have small amounts of time dedicated to each subject or topic.

Small revision parts each day for a longer period are more effective than trying to cram everything the night before your exams. 

 Also, you can plan to revise one subject at a time or alternate revisions between various subjects of study.

What you need is a suitable revision pattern that works well for you. All in all, always make revision a habit. Create specific set times of the day to revise and ensure you stick by it. 

3. Relaxing Activities

Even though studying for essay-based exams needs a lot of preparation, interspersing with relaxing activities is also advisable.

This helps to stop the overloading of the brain especially when you feel exhausted. You can take a walk, listen to your favorite music or take part in sports. 

Just take part in whatever activity you like but ensure the breaks do not become distractions. 

4. Avoiding Distractions

Effective studying for exams cannot go well if there are distractions. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram are the greatest enemies. Develop routines to help you use your free time productively.

Notifications from friends will always pop up and distract you from studying. One way of avoiding this is by installing a locking app so that you can disable your social media for a specific period. 

Another alternative is to block your web browser or the internet router. You can block access and create a restriction for a specific period.

With help from friends and family members, have a blocking schedule. Far from that, find a quiet place where you can do your revisions effectively.

If there is no quiet place at home, the nearby library is the best place where you can study comfortably. 

5. Create a Glossary

When the exam period approaches, it is good to come up with a list of all the important words and phrases that you need to know.

For each of the modules, ensure you list important phrases that you need to remember. Have a brief definition of each of the terms which are important for the exams.

You can then go back to your glossary and test your ability to remember these terms. 

6. Practice Essay Writing Regularly

Regularly writing essays will give you a clue about how to go about your exams. It makes you master the time you will need to plan, write and proofread your essay.

With the use of past papers, you can know the type of questions that are frequently asked in your area of study. This will boost your flexibility and confidence because you will be familiar with all the course materials. 

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

CyLab researchers to present at ACM CHI 2024

Michael Cunningham

Apr 10, 2024

CyLab Security and Privacy Institute researchers are set to present 10 papers and participate in one special interest group at the upcoming Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2024).

The conference will take place in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi from May 11th through the 16th, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders to share their latest work and ideas and to foster collaboration and innovation in advancing digital technologies.

Carnegie Mellon University research is well represented at ACM CHI 2024. In addition to the CyLab-affiliated papers being presented at CHI, CMU students and faculty members will present more than 35 papers at the conference, representing a diverse background of subject matter interests and research competencies in the process.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of papers authored by CyLab Security and Privacy Institute members that are being presented at this year’s event, as well as a special interest group on human-centered privacy research in the age of LLMs.

Is a Trustmark and QR Code Enough? The Effect of IoT Security and Privacy Label Information Complexity on Consumer Comprehension and Behavior

Authors: Clair C. Chen, Dillon Shu, Hamsini Ravishankar, Xinran Li, Yuvraj Agarwal , Lorrie Faith Cranor ; Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: The U.S. Government is developing a package label to help consumers access reliable security and privacy information about Internet of Things (IoT) devices when making purchase decisions. The label will include the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, a QR code to scan for more details, and potentially additional information. To examine how label information complexity and educational interventions affect comprehension of security and privacy attributes and label QR code use, we conducted an online survey with 518 IoT purchasers. We examined participants' comprehension and preferences for three labels of varying complexities, with and without an educational intervention. Participants favored and correctly utilized the two higher-complexity labels, showing a special interest in the privacy-relevant content. Furthermore, while the educational intervention improved understanding of the QR code’s purpose, it had a modest effect on QR scanning behavior. We highlight clear design and policy directions for creating and deploying IoT security and privacy labels.

Stranger Danger? Investor Behavior and Incentives on Cryptocurrency Copy-Trading Platforms

Authors: Daisuke Kawai, Carnegie Mellon University ; Kyle Soska, Ramiel Capital ; Bryan Routledge , Carnegie Mellon University ; Ariel Zelin-Jones , Carnegie Mellon University ; Nicolas Christin ; Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: Several large financial trading platforms have recently begun implementing ``copy trading,'' a process by which a leader allows copiers to automatically mirror their trades in exchange for a share of the profits realized. While it has been shown in many contexts that platform design considerably influences user choices---users tend to disproportionately trust rankings presented to them---we would expect that here, copiers exercise due diligence given the money at stake, typically USD 500--2\,000 or more. We perform a quantitative analysis of two major cryptocurrency copy-trading platforms, with different default leader ranking algorithms. One of these platforms additionally changed the information displayed during our study. In all cases, we show that the platform UI significantly influences copiers' decisions. Besides being sub-optimal, this influence is problematic as rankings are often easily gameable by unscrupulous leaders who prey on novice copiers, and they create perverse incentives for all platform users.

Deepfakes, Phrenology, Surveillance, and More! A Taxonomy of AI Privacy Risks

Authors: Hao-Ping (Hank) Lee, Carnegie Mellon University ; Yu-Ju Yang, Carnegie Mellon University ; Thomas Serban von Davier, University of Oxford ; Jodi Forlizzi, Carnegie Mellon University ; Sauvik Das , Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: Privacy is a key principle for developing ethical AI technologies, but how does including AI technologies in products and services change privacy risks? We constructed a taxonomy of AI privacy risks by analyzing 321 documented AI privacy incidents. We codified how the unique capabilities and requirements of AI technologies described in those incidents generated new privacy risks, exacerbated known ones, or otherwise did not meaningfully alter the risk. We present 12 high-level privacy risks that AI technologies either newly created (e.g., exposure risks from deepfake pornography) or exacerbated (e.g., surveillance risks from collecting training data). One upshot of our work is that incorporating AI technologies into a product can alter the privacy risks it entails. Yet, current approaches to privacy-preserving AI/ML (e.g., federated learning, differential privacy, checklists) only address a subset of the privacy risks arising from the capabilities and data requirements of AI.

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Cybervulnerability Impact Assessment for Energy Critical Infrastructure

Authors: Andrea Gallardo, Carnegie Mellon University ; Robert Erbes, Idaho National Laboratory ; Katya Le Blanc, Idaho National Laboratory ; Lujo Bauer , Carnegie Mellon University ; Lorrie Faith Cranor , Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: As energy infrastructure becomes more interconnected, understanding cybersecurity risks to production systems requires integrating operational and computer security knowledge. We interviewed 18 experts working in the field of energy critical infrastructure to compare what information they find necessary to assess the impact of computer vulnerabilities on energy operational technology. These experts came from two groups: 1) computer security experts and 2) energy sector operations experts. We find that both groups responded similarly for general categories of information and displayed knowledge about both domains, perhaps due to their interdisciplinary work at the same organization. Yet, we found notable differences in the details of their responses and in their stated perceptions of each group’s approaches to impact assessment. Their suggestions for collaboration across domains highlighted how these two groups can work together to help each other secure the energy grid. Our findings inform the development of interdisciplinary security approaches in critical-infrastructure contexts.

A Framework for Reasoning about Social Influences on Security and Privacy Adoption

Authors: Cori Faklaris, University of North Carolina at Charlotte ; Laura Dabbish, Carnegie Mellon University ; Jason I. Hong , Carnegie Mellon University

Much research has found that social influences (such as social proof, storytelling, and advice-seeking) help boost security awareness. But we have lacked a systematic approach to tracing how awareness leads to action, and to identifying which social influences can be leveraged at each step. Toward this goal, we develop a framework that synthesizes our design ideation, expertise, prior work, and new interview data into a six-step adoption process. This work contributes a prototype framework that accounts for social influences by step. It adds to what is known in the literature and the SIGCHI community about the social-psychological drivers of security adoption. Future work should establish whether this process is the same regardless of culture, demographic variation, or work vs. home context, and whether it is a reliable theoretical basis and method for designing experiments and focusing efforts where they are likely to be most productive.

SEAM-EZ: Simplifying Stateful Analytics through Visual Programming

Authors: Zhengyan Yu, Conviva ; Hun Namkung, Conviva ; Jiang Guo, Conviva ; Henry Milner, Conviva ; Joel Goldfoot, Conviva ; Yang Wang, Conviva , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ; Vyas Sekar , Conviva , Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: Across many domains (e.g., media/entertainment, mobile apps, finance, IoT, cybersecurity), there is a growing need for stateful analytics over streams of events to meet key business outcomes. Stateful analytics over event streams entails carefully modeling the sequence, timing, and contextual correlations of events to dynamic attributes. Unfortunately, existing frameworks and languages (e.g., SQL, Flink, Spark) entail significant code complexity and expert effort to express such stateful analytics because of their dynamic and stateful nature. Our overarching goal is to simplify and democratize stateful analytics. Through an iterative design and evaluation process including a foundational user study and two rounds of formative evaluations with 15 industry practitioners, we created SEAM-EZ, a no-code visual programming platform for quickly creating and validating stateful metrics. SEAM-EZ features a node-graph editor, interactive tooltips, embedded data views, and auto-suggestion features to facilitate the creation and validation of stateful analytics. We then conducted three real-world case studies of SEAM-EZ with 20 additional practitioners. Our results suggest that practitioners who previously could not or had to spend significant effort to create stateful metrics using traditional tools such as SQL or Spark can now easily and quickly create and validate such metrics using SEAM-EZ.

Deconstructing the Veneer of Simplicity: Co-Designing Introductory Generative AI Workshops with Local Entrepreneurs

Authors: Yasmine Kotturi, Carnegie Mellon University ; Angel Anderson, Community Forge ; Glenn Ford, Community Forge ; Michael Skirpan , Carnegie Mellon University , Community Forge ; Jeffrey P. Bigham, Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: Generative AI platforms and features are permeating many aspects of work. Entrepreneurs from lean economies in particular are well positioned to outsource tasks to generative AI given limited resources. In this paper, we work to address a growing disparity in use of these technologies by building on a four-year partnership with a local entrepreneurial hub dedicated to equity in tech and entrepreneurship. Together, we co-designed an interactive workshops series aimed to onboard local entrepreneurs to generative AI platforms. Alongside four community-driven and iterative workshops with entrepreneurs across five months, we conducted interviews with 15 local entrepreneurs and community providers. We detail the importance of communal and supportive exposure to generative AI tools for local entrepreneurs, scaffolding actionable use (and supporting non-use), demystifying generative AI technologies by emphasizing entrepreneurial power, while simultaneously deconstructing the veneer of simplicity to address the many operational skills needed for successful application.

“It’s a Fair Game”, or Is It? Examining How Users Navigate Disclosure Risks and Benefits When Using LLM-Based Conversational Agents

Authors: Zhiping Zhang, Khoury College of Computer Sciences ; Michelle Jia, Carnegie Mellon University ; Hao-Ping (Hank) Lee, Carnegie Mellon University ; Bingsheng Yao, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ; Sauvik Das , Carnegie Mellon University ; Ada Lerner, Northeastern University ; Dakuo Wang, Northeastern University ; Tianshi Li, Northeastern University

Abstract: The widespread use of Large Language Model (LLM)-based conversational agents (CAs), especially in high-stakes domains, raises many privacy concerns. Building ethical LLM-based CAs that respect user privacy requires an in-depth understanding of the privacy risks that concern users the most. However, existing research, primarily model-centered, does not provide insight into users' perspectives. To bridge this gap, we analyzed sensitive disclosures in real-world ChatGPT conversations and conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 LLM-based CA users. We found that users are constantly faced with trade-offs between privacy, utility, and convenience when using LLM-based CAs. However, users' erroneous mental models and the dark patterns in system design limited their awareness and comprehension of the privacy risks. Additionally, the human-like interactions encouraged more sensitive disclosures, which complicated users' ability to navigate the trade-offs. We discuss practical design guidelines and the needs for paradigm shifts to protect the privacy of LLM-based CA users.

Bring Privacy To The Table: Interactive Negotiation for Privacy Settings of Shared Sensing Devices

Authors: Haozhe Zhou, Mayank Goel, Yuvraj Agarwal ; Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: To address privacy concerns with the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, researchers have proposed enhancements in data collection transparency and user control. However, managing privacy preferences for shared devices with multiple stakeholders remains challenging. We introduced ThingPoll, a system that helps users negotiate privacy configurations for IoT devices in shared settings. We designed ThingPoll by observing twelve participants verbally negotiating privacy preferences, from which we identified potentially successful and inefficient negotiation patterns. ThingPoll bootstraps a preference model from a custom crowdsourced privacy preferences dataset. During negotiations, ThingPoll strategically scaffolds the process by eliciting users’ privacy preferences, providing helpful contexts, and suggesting feasible configuration options. We evaluated ThingPoll with 30 participants negotiating the privacy settings of 4 devices. Using ThingPoll, participants reached an agreement in 97.5% of scenarios within an average of 3.27 minutes. Participants reported high overall satisfaction of 83.3% with ThingPoll as compared to baseline approaches.

“Don't put all your eggs in one basket”: How Cryptocurrency Users Choose and Secure Their Wallets

Authors: Yaman Yu, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Tanusree Sharma, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Sauvik Das , Carnegie Mellon University; Yang Wang, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Abstract: Cryptocurrency wallets come in various forms, each with unique usability and security features. Through interviews with 24 users, we explore reasons for selecting wallets in different contexts. Participants opt for smart contract wallets to simplify key management, leveraging social interactions. However, they prefer personal devices over individuals as guardians to avoid social cybersecurity concerns in managing guardian relationships. When engaging in high-stakes or complex transactions, they often choose browser-based wallets, leveraging third-party security extensions. For simpler transactions, they prefer the convenience of mobile wallets. Many participants avoid hardware wallets due to usability issues and security concerns with respect to key recovery service provided by manufacturer and phishing attacks. Social networks play a dual role: participants seek security advice from friends, but also express security concerns in soliciting this help. We offer novel insights into how and why users adopt specific wallets. We also discuss design recommendations for future wallet technologies based on our findings.

Special Interest Group: Human-Centered Privacy Research in the Age of Large Language Models

Participants: Tianshi Li, Northeastern University ; Sauvik Das , Carnegie Mellon University ; Hao-Ping (Hank) Lee, Carnegie Mellon University ; Dakuo Wang, Northeastern University ; Bingsheng Yao, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ; Zhiping Zhang, Northeastern University

Abstract: The emergence of large language models (LLMs), and their increased use in user-facing systems, has led to substantial privacy concerns. To date, research on these privacy concerns has been model-centered: exploring how LLMs lead to privacy risks like memorization, or can be used to infer personal characteristics about people from their content. We argue that there is a need for more research focusing on the human aspect of these privacy issues: e.g., research on how design paradigms for LLMs affect users’ disclosure behaviors, users’ mental models and preferences for privacy controls, and the design of tools, systems, and artifacts that empower end-users to reclaim ownership over their personal data. To build usable, efficient, and privacy-friendly systems powered by these models with imperfect privacy properties, our goal is to initiate discussions to outline an agenda for conducting human-centered research on privacy issues in LLM-powered systems. This Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to bring together researchers with backgrounds in usable security and privacy, human-AI collaboration, NLP, or any other related domains to share their perspectives and experiences on this problem, to help our community establish a collective understanding of the challenges, research opportunities, research methods, and strategies to collaborate with researchers outside of HCI.

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Exploring the Difference Between Exempt Human Subjects Research and Expedited IRB Review

We’ve heard that there is some confusion about exempt human subjects research and expedited IRB review. Expedited review is not the same as exempt research. Here are a few points to provide clarity.

For human subjects research, certain types may qualify for an exemption from the regulatory requirements in the Common Rule (45 CFR 46). This is commonly referred to as exempt research. Exempt research generally does not need to be reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). You can review details about the exemption types on our Definition of Human Subjects Research website or the Office for Human Research Protection’s Exemptions website . There are eight categories of exemptions.

Separately, research that is non-exempt human subjects research (i.e., research subject to the HHS regulations at 45 CFR 46 ) and meets certain conditions may be reviewed by an IRB through an expedited review procedure. Therse conditions are listed in the OHRP guidance: Expedited Review Categories (1998) .  There are nine categories of research for expedited review.  

You can learn more about the NIH requirements for human subjects research on the NIH Human Subjects Research website . Remember, most human subjects research (everything that meets the definition of clinical research ) also requires inclusion monitoring. You can find out more on the inclusion policy webpages .

Have questions? Reach out to your program officer. You can also send human subjects research questions to [email protected] and inclusion-related questions to [email protected] .

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Guest Essay

What Sentencing Could Look Like if Trump Is Found Guilty

By Norman L. Eisen

Mr. Eisen is the author of “Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial.”

For all the attention to and debate over the unfolding trial of Donald Trump in Manhattan, there has been surprisingly little of it paid to a key element: its possible outcome and, specifically, the prospect that a former and potentially future president could be sentenced to prison time.

The case — brought by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, against Mr. Trump — represents the first time in our nation’s history that a former president is a defendant in a criminal trial. As such, it has generated lots of debate about the case’s legal strength and integrity, as well as its potential impact on Mr. Trump’s efforts to win back the White House.

A review of thousands of cases in New York that charged the same felony suggests something striking: If Mr. Trump is found guilty, incarceration is an actual possibility. It’s not certain, of course, but it is plausible.

Jury selection has begun, and it’s not too soon to talk about what the possibility of a sentence, including a prison sentence, would look like for Mr. Trump, for the election and for the country — including what would happen if he is re-elected.

The case focuses on alleged interference in the 2016 election, which consisted of a hush-money payment Michael Cohen, the former president’s fixer at the time, made in 2016 to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump. Mr. Bragg is arguing that the cover-up cheated voters of the chance to fully assess Mr. Trump’s candidacy.

This may be the first criminal trial of a former president in American history, but if convicted, Mr. Trump’s fate is likely to be determined by the same core factors that guide the sentencing of every criminal defendant in New York State Court.

Comparable cases. The first factor is the base line against which judges measure all sentences: how other defendants have been treated for similar offenses. My research encompassed almost 10,000 cases of felony falsifying business records that have been prosecuted across the state of New York since 2015. Over a similar period, the Manhattan D.A. has charged over 400 of these cases . In roughly the first year of Mr. Bragg’s tenure, his team alone filed 166 felony counts for falsifying business records against 34 people or companies.

Contrary to claims that there will be no sentence of incarceration for falsifying business records, when a felony conviction involves serious misconduct, defendants can be sentenced to some prison time. My analysis of the most recent data indicates that approximately one in 10 cases in which the most serious charge at arraignment is falsifying business records in the first degree and in which the court ultimately imposes a sentence, results in a term of imprisonment.

To be clear, these cases generally differ from Mr. Trump’s case in one important respect: They typically involve additional charges besides just falsifying records. That clearly complicates what we might expect if Mr. Trump is convicted.

Nevertheless, there are many previous cases involving falsifying business records along with other charges where the conduct was less serious than is alleged against Mr. Trump and prison time was imposed. For instance, Richard Luthmann was accused of attempting to deceive voters — in his case, impersonating New York political figures on social media in an attempt to influence campaigns. He pleaded guilty to three counts of falsifying business records in the first degree (as well as to other charges). He received a sentence of incarceration on the felony falsification counts (although the sentence was not solely attributable to the plea).

A defendant in another case was accused of stealing in excess of $50,000 from her employer and, like in this case, falsifying one or more invoices as part of the scheme. She was indicted on a single grand larceny charge and ultimately pleaded guilty to one felony count of business record falsification for a false invoice of just under $10,000. She received 364 days in prison.

To be sure, for a typical first-time offender charged only with run-of-the-mill business record falsification, a prison sentence would be unlikely. On the other hand, Mr. Trump is being prosecuted for 34 counts of conduct that might have changed the course of American history.

Seriousness of the crime. Mr. Bragg alleges that Mr. Trump concealed critical information from voters (paying hush money to suppress an extramarital relationship) that could have harmed his campaign, particularly if it came to light after the revelation of another scandal — the “Access Hollywood” tape . If proved, that could be seen not just as unfortunate personal judgment but also, as Justice Juan Merchan has described it, an attempt “to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.”

History and character. To date, Mr. Trump has been unrepentant about the events alleged in this case. There is every reason to believe that will not change even if he is convicted, and lack of remorse is a negative at sentencing. Justice Merchan’s evaluation of Mr. Trump’s history and character may also be informed by the other judgments against him, including Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling that Mr. Trump engaged in repeated and persistent business fraud, a jury finding that he sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll and a related defamation verdict by a second jury.

Justice Merchan may also weigh the fact that Mr. Trump has been repeatedly held in contempt , warned , fined and gagged by state and federal judges. That includes for statements he made that exposed witnesses, individuals in the judicial system and their families to danger. More recently, Mr. Trump made personal attacks on Justice Merchan’s daughter, resulting in an extension of the gag order in the case. He now stands accused of violating it again by commenting on witnesses.

What this all suggests is that a term of imprisonment for Mr. Trump, while far from certain for a former president, is not off the table. If he receives a sentence of incarceration, perhaps the likeliest term is six months, although he could face up to four years, particularly if Mr. Trump chooses to testify, as he said he intends to do , and the judge believes he lied on the stand . Probation is also available, as are more flexible approaches like a sentence of spending every weekend in jail for a year.

We will probably know what the judge will do within 30 to 60 days of the end of the trial, which could run into mid-June. If there is a conviction, that would mean a late summer or early fall sentencing.

Justice Merchan would have to wrestle in the middle of an election year with the potential impact of sentencing a former president and current candidate.

If Mr. Trump is sentenced to a period of incarceration, the reaction of the American public will probably be as polarized as our divided electorate itself. Yet as some polls suggest — with the caveat that we should always be cautious of polls early in the race posing hypothetical questions — many key swing state voters said they would not vote for a felon.

If Mr. Trump is convicted and then loses the presidential election, he will probably be granted bail, pending an appeal, which will take about a year. That means if any appeals are unsuccessful, he will most likely have to serve any sentence starting sometime next year. He will be sequestered with his Secret Service protection; if it is less than a year, probably in Rikers Island. His protective detail will probably be his main company, since Mr. Trump will surely be isolated from other inmates for his safety.

If Mr. Trump wins the presidential election, he can’t pardon himself because it is a state case. He will be likely to order the Justice Department to challenge his sentence, and department opinions have concluded that a sitting president could not be imprisoned, since that would prevent the president from fulfilling the constitutional duties of the office. The courts have never had to address the question, but they could well agree with the Justice Department.

So if Mr. Trump is convicted and sentenced to a period of incarceration, its ultimate significance is probably this: When the American people go to the polls in November, they will be voting on whether Mr. Trump should be held accountable for his original election interference.

What questions do you have about Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial so far?

Please submit them below. Our trial experts will respond to a selection of readers in a future piece.

Norman L. Eisen investigated the 2016 voter deception allegations as counsel for the first impeachment and trial of Donald Trump and is the author of “Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Procedural Changes for Expedited Review of Human Subjects Research

The Charles River Campus Institutional Review Board (CRC IRB) is discontinuing annual progress reports for expedited research and moving instead to a triennial review cycle. For research teams, this will go into effect at the next expedited annual progress report review and will apply to all newly approved expedited research going forward.

Annual continuing review will remain for research reviewed by the full board, per regulatory requirements.

Who does this affect:

Investigators with research that has been approved by expedited review.

The CRC IRB is moving from an annual progress report to a triennial progress report (every three years) for research approved by expedited review.

At the next annual progress report review an IRB analyst will assess the protocol to confirm that it still meets expedited review criteria, and that it is appropriate to move to a triennial review. If appropriate, investigators will receive an approval notice with their next triennial progress report review date – and, if applicable, a stamped consent form with the approval date only. This will also apply to newly approved expedited research.

With regulatory changes that went into effect several years ago, the requirement for annual continuing review was discontinued. The CRC IRB maintained an annual progress report at that time to assess compliance and has been satisfied with the results to date. Research that is reviewed by expedited procedures are minimal risk. By switching to a triennial review, investigators and the IRB office can better focus on other compliance and quality assurance matters. Additionally, the switch to triennial review is consistent with other compliance committee review schedules at BU and peer institutions for research that is minimal risk.

• Investigators must continue to submit amendments for changes to their research and receive approval prior to implementation of those changes.
• Investigators must continue to submit incidents (non-compliance, deviations, unanticipated problems, etc.) within five days of learning of the event.
• The only change is from an annual progress report for research approved by expedited review to a triennial review.
• Annual review is still required for research that is reviewed by the full board.

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