Conference: The Public Humanities in the 21st century

The OpenARC Research Centre at The Open University is delighted to announce that it will be hosting a free online interdisciplinary conference, ‘The Public Humanities in the 21st Century’.

This conference will address the core question: what is the role of the public humanities in the 21st century?  We face the challenge of the increasing instrumentalization of university study, the narrowing and hollowing out of curriculum in schools, and the relentless prioritisation of STEM subjects by governments and funding councils. At the same time, the critical and creative thinking fostered by the Arts and Humanities is increasingly important in helping people make sense of the world and their place in it. Given the increasing pressures faced by the Arts & Humanities in the current environment, how might we, as researchers, teachers, and learners, rethink the role of the public humanities in the 21st century? 

Speakers and details of the programme are to follow, but at this point, we ask you to ‘save the date’. There will be morning, afternoon and evening sessions, so we hope you will be able to attend for at least part of the conference. The conference will be free to attend.