Is There Hope for the Humanities in the 21st Century?

Abstract

The article considers the current position of research in the Humanities in the light of social changes and in particular changes in verbal and visual literacy. The author suggests that the two weakest areas in the Humanities, Literary Studies and Foreign Language Studies, need to rethink themselves increasingly in terms of rigour following the success stories in other areas of the Humanities such as Classics, History, and Film and Media Studies. The importance of interdisciplinarity is emphasized and in an increasingly fragmented world the need for students to have a range of skills and breadth of knowledge is outlined. In conclusion, despite the need for some areas in the Humanities to rethink themselves and move beyond their current complacent position, the author is optimistic for the Humanities in the future.