UW College of Arts and Sciences to Host Humanities Summit March 26-27

The University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences will host a Humanities Summit at Coe Library and the Arts and Sciences Building Thursday and Friday, March 26-27.

The event will bring scholars, educators, advocates and students together to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, which will be a focal point of the summit. Additionally, the event will emphasize the future of the humanities through interdisciplinary relationships across UW, the state and nation.

“Our inaugural Humanities Summit was a huge success and showcased UW’s wide network of national humanities organizations and resources,” says Joy Landeira, chair of the Humanities Summit and head of UW’s Department of Modern and Classical Languages. “To keep that momentum going, this year's Humanities Summit focuses on ‘Humanities in Action,’ highlighting humanities events that celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.”

The summit will feature four keynote speakers, including Director of Digital History and More Perfect Scholar in Residence Jim Ambuske, of the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies at Iona University; Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Mary Favret, of Johns Hopkins University; English and design media arts Associate Professor Danny Snelson, of the University of California-Los Angeles); and historian and legal scholar Edward Larson, of Pepperdine University.

Throughout the two-day event, they will discuss topics ranging from history to classical literature, as well as innovative strategies for advancing the humanities and shaping the future of education and research in this field.

“In addition to keynote speakers, UW humanities departments and programs will join with statewide humanities groups and nationally prominent scholars to discuss a wide range of humanities issues,” Landeira says.

The first full day of the summit, March 26, will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 506 of Coe Library with UW faculty and keynote speakers, featuring a performance by UW’s Collegiate Chorale. Additional units within the College of Arts and Sciences will host panels to further discuss various areas of public humanities.

The second day, March 27, will focus on “Public Humanities in Action” and will include engagement workshops, keynote speakers and a panel featuring UW faculty members and their award-winning projects on “Re-Storying the West” and public humanities initiatives.

The summit will conclude with a finale in the Arts and Sciences Auditorium, culminating the celebration of the present and future of the humanities. 

During the finale, Larson will give a keynote address at 4 p.m. titled “Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters.”

Larson is a prolific writer and speaker. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his book “Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion.” His background is in the history of science, and his recent research includes a new book published this year by W.W. Norton and Co., “Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters.” An audience question-and-answer and book signing by the author follow the presentation.

A reception to celebrate the U.S. 250th birthday will follow in the A&S lobby. Refreshments will be available.

“The Humanities Summit highlights how the humanities help us understand who we are as a people and what we value as a state,” says Scott Turpen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “For Wyoming, this work strengthens civic life while giving students the critical thinking, communication and ethical reasoning skills that prepare them to lead and adapt in any career they choose.”

The event is free and open to the public. To learn more about the Humanities Summit and the speakers, visit the website. See the full schedule of events here.

For further questions, email Landeira at jlandeir@uwyo.edu.