Decolonizing the Arts & Humanities Conference
The Decolonizing the Arts and Humanities conference will advance the aim of the Steinhardt Arts and Humanities Collective through critically examining arts and humanities research, scholarship, and creative work of NYU faculty across fields in a global context. Acknowledging much of academia’s colonialist origins and histories, the conference will examine the effects of power inequities, and feature current and future reimaginings of the academic research, teaching, and creative endeavors that acknowledge and incorporate a more inclusive past to strengthen and energize current practices and forms. The conference will focus on current discussions and practices of decolonization in academia and beyond.
The conference will be held at NYU Florence in June 2025. Considerations of decolonization in the arts and humanities are a global issue and La Pietra is an ideal place to host such an endeavor and discuss how to better include different voices and perspectives. Florence has the distinctive strength of not only being a historical cultural center where great art, literature, and performances have been created but also a colonial power where material traces of colonialism remain and systemic racism and sexism keeps stolen indigenous art in museums.
NYU HiPE
The NYU Applied Humanities in Professional Education Project (NYU HiPE) will integrate the Humanities into NYU Steinhardt’s professional education programs through first-year seminars that meet core requirements. These courses will focus on the role of history, literature, ethics, culture, ways of knowing, and interpretative practices in contemporary topics relevant to professional education while also developing students’ capacity to apply humanities methods in conducting inquiry. In contrast to positivist or techno-rational professional preparation, these courses will broaden and humanize students’ learning in preparation for professions of human development at a time when questions about which humans matter and how well artificial intelligence can mimic humans are extremely salient. Courses will offer experiential learning with community partners and serve as a foundation for a university-wide initiative to bring the Humanities into NYU’s many other professional schools.