On my travels two places stood out as outstandingly innovative places in terms of rethinking what humanities can do: Ian Bogost's LCC at Georgia Tech and Steven Blevins's English Dept at Florida International.
In Ian's case literature studies had been encapsulated in the wider configuration space of design and media studies. Literature interpretations became one of a suite of practices under a wider umbrella.
In Steven's case Literature was affiliated with Environmental Science: same Dean, same offices, same institutional umbrella. This was stunning yet made perfect sense: cultures are kinds of environment and nonhumans are obviously part of social space. Think of the protection and creativity afforded by such a move.
Happily Steven's place is called SEAS: School of Environment, Arts and Society. Nice...
Thanks so much, Time for the kind words about FIU and SEAS.
ReplyDeleteCredit for the school goes to the dean of A&S, Dean Kenneth Furton, the director of SEAS, Prof. Michael Heithaus, and the chair of English, Prof. James Sutton, among many others.
As a junior faculty in English, and now SEAS, I am very pleased with how this 'reaffiliation' is working out.
Steven
Thanks so much, Tim, for the kind words about FIU and SEAS.
ReplyDeleteCredit for the school goes to the dean of A&S, Dean Kenneth Furton, the director of SEAS, Prof. Michael Heithaus, and the chair of English, Prof. James Sutton, among many others.
As a junior faculty in English, and now SEAS, I am very pleased with how this 'reaffiliation' is working out.
Steven