UChicago Division of the Humanities

In a recent study, UChicago linguistics scholar Sharese King, along with scholars from Stanford University and the Allen Institute for AI, discovered that large language models, like ChatGPT, still demonstrate biases and negative stereotypes, particularly against African American English (AAE) speakers, echoing discriminatory attitudes from the 1930s. This study underscores the risks of using biased AI in decision-making roles. Learn more>> https://bit.ly/3MRH1pa.

AI is biased against speakers of African American English, study finds Large language models attributed negative attributes, less prestigious jobs and more convictions to speakers

Join us tomorrow, Sept. 18, at 5:30 p.m. CDT for “Inside the Composer’s Studio,” a virtual Dean’s Salon where Dean Deborah L. Nelson will talk with Augusta Read Thomas of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition about music and creativity. This conversation takes place just one day before the world premiere of Thomas’s “Bebop Kaleidoscope—Homage to Duke Ellington” with the New York Philharmonic. Learn more and register today! >> https://bit.ly/3MFtUr6.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Fall Dean's Salon: Inside the Composer's Studio. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Join us for a glimpse into a composer’s studio as Dean Deborah L. Nelson, the Helen B. and Frank L. Sulzberger Professor of English and dean of the Division of the Humanities, and composer Augusta Read Thomas, University Professor of Composition in the Department of Music and founder and director ...

In this op-ed, classics scholar Sarah Nooter argues that ancient Greek thinkers explored diverse forms of love, life, and identity—contradicting conservative claims that discussions of gender and sexuality are new or "untraditional." Learn more >> https://bit.ly/4eIFGgz.

What the Right Gets Wrong About the History of Gender A true classical education teaches that our origins in gender and sexuality are varied and complex.

Join us for Humanities Day on October 26 as we explore and celebrate the arts and humanities at UChicago. Enjoy a full day of presentations and tours on topics like Bob Dylan's bridges, Plato and Descartes on Halloween, the archaeology of Sinbad the Sailor, and more! Admission is free—learn more and register today at https://humanitiesday.uchicago.edu/.

Home | Humanities Day Join us as we celebrate what makes the arts and humanities distinctive at the University of Chicago. Explore topics such as Bob Dylan’s bridges, Plato and Descartes on Halloween, and the archaeology of Sinbad the Sailor. Spend the entire day at Logan Center for the Arts and commemorate its 10th an...

Patrick Jagoda to deliver Aims of Education address Sept. 26 Scholar to examine how ‘learning is play’ while welcoming the Class of 2028

We are pleased to share that alum and teaching fellow Devon Borowski has won the 2023 Dissertation Award from the International Musicological Society for his dissertation “Navigating Voices: Song, History, and Humanity in the British Imperial Project, 1770–1836,” University of Chicago (US), 2023.

Learn more at the link below. Congratulations, Devon!

https://music.uchicago.edu/news/alum-and-teaching-fellow-devon-borowski-wins-international-musicological-societys-2023

Next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. (CDT): Tune in for “Inside the Composer’s Studio,” a virtual Dean’s Salon about music and creativity with Augusta Read Thomas of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition —the day before the world premiere of her “Bebop Kaleidoscope — Homage to Duke Ellington” with the New York Philharmonic.
UChicago Division of the Humanities 🎶 UChicago Dept. of Music
alumni.uchicago.edu/deanssalon

September 18 at 5:30 p.m. (CDT), log in to “Inside the Composer’s Studio,” a virtual exploration of the creative process of University Professor Augusta Read Thomas, founder and director of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition—just one day before the world premiere of her “Bebop Kaleidoscope — Homage to Duke Ellington” with the New York Philharmonic.
UChicago Division of the Humanities 🎶 UChicago Dept. of Music
alumni.uchicago.edu/deanssalon

Department of English Language and Literature, University of Chicago Prof. Robyn Schiff has been awarded the 2024 Four Quartets Prize for her poem 'Information Desk: An Epic,' inspired by her experiences working at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, Schiff's critical acclaim underscores her skill in weaving the Met's visual art collections into her life’s journey, material world, and imagination.

As the Director of the University of Chicago Creative Writing and Poetics program, Schiff fosters a collaborative artistic environment, encouraging students to explore connections between creative writing and other art forms. “The potential relationship between creative writing and the other arts is profound at UChicago,” Schiff said. “When young writers are exposed to dance, theater, music, film, and visual art they develop a stronger, more fluid and collaborative understanding of expression.”

Robyn Schiff’s epic poem ‘Information Desk’ draws critical acclaim UChicago poet wins Four Quartets Prize—the latest award for work inspired by her time at the Met in New York

How homeownership shaped race in America, with Adrienne Brown (Ep. 141) Book goes beyond the history of discriminatory practices to show how homeownership changed our perceptions of race

The University of Chicago's Film Studies Center is preserving cinematic history with restored films by Black and Filipino filmmakers, supported by two National Film Preservation Foundation grants. This collaborative project highlights UChicago's commitment to cultural preservation, amplifying underrepresented voices in cinema, and providing students, faculty, and the public access to rare, original films in their best possible format. Learn more. >>

UChicago’s Film Studies Center to preserve groundbreaking work by Black and Filipino filmmakers Grant funds will restore films by Aarin Burch and 1930s home movies of Chicago’s Filipino community

In this feature, Prof. Patrick Jagoda, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Chicago, and Ashlyn Sparrow, game designer and assistant director of the UChicago Weston Game Lab, delve into the innovative games they've developed, exploring how these games, along with others like them, serve as powerful educational tools, allowing students to engage with and critically analyze pressing societal and political issues such as climate change and freedom of speech. >>

The valuable role video games play in the classroom In some classrooms, video games are helping students stay engaged and learn about history, science, math and more.

At Alumni Weekend this past May, the deans of UChicago College, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, and UChicago Division of the Humanities discussed what matters most in higher education and how the University will pave a path into the future: mag.uchicago.edu/university-news/what-future-higher-education

Photography by John Zich

The University of Chicago’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations has been renamed the Department of Middle Eastern Studies. This name better reflects its interdisciplinary research and geographic focus. Department Chair Ahmed El Shamsy said the change clarifies the department’s mission, aligns with its focus on the Middle East, and corrects misconceptions about its scope. The renaming also strengthens collaboration with the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) and reaffirms the department’s commitment to advancing leading research and understanding of the Middle East’s long, rich, and complex history. Learn more. >>

Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations changes name to Department of Middle Eastern Studies | Division of the Humanities Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations changes name to Department of Middle Eastern Studies By Sara Patterson The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago Division of the Humanities announced Aug. 19 that it will be renamed the Department of...

UChicago's Arts and Public Life initiative will contribute to the citywide public art program "Track(ed) Changes," tied to the Democratic National Convention (Aug. 19-22) by hosting a two-day festival at Washington Park’s Arts Lawn (Aug 20-21) as part of Gertie's "Next Stop: Chicago" campaign. Learn more. >>

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/12/arts/design/chicago-art-trains-elections.html

https://www.nextstopchicago.co/

New Public Art Rides the Rails in Chicago, Timed to the Convention When the Democratic National Convention kicks off on Aug. 19, an array of art tied to the election season will greet visitors and Chicagoans alike.

Four Humanities graduate students participated in UChicagoGRAD's 2024 "Research Speaks" and the "Transcending Boundaries Symposium." These programs provide a platform for graduate students from various disciplines to improve their communication skills, effectively connect with diverse audiences, and expand the impact and visibility of their work. Learn more. >> https://humanities.uchicago.edu/articles/2024/06/bridging-research-and-public-humanities-students-engage-diverse-audiences

We are thrilled to announce that the Neubauer Collegium has been selected as a 2024 Frankenthaler Climate Initiative awardee.

Established by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in collaboration with Environment & Culture Partners (a nonprofit devoted to climate advocacy in the U.S. cultural sector) and RMI (a global expert in clean energy), the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative is the first grantmaking program of its kind that catalyzes climate action at visual arts organizations.

With support from the program, the Neubauer Collegium will identify opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of our exhibitions gallery. These improvements will expand our curatorial capacity, enhance the quality of our exhibition programming and related public engagement efforts, and open up new possibilities to present fragile materials – including historic objects that require highly stable conditions.

We are excited to begin this important work, so pivotal to our mission to incorporate the visual arts into broader academic inquiries, and grateful to the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation for its leadership in helping arts organizations reduce their carbon footprint.






IMAGE: Helen Frankenthaler, Cool Summer, 1962. © 2022 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Photo credit: Rob McKeever, courtesy Gagosian.

Congratulations to Hans Thomalla, Professor of Composition, who has been awarded a Koussevitzky Commission from the Library of Congress!

Thomalla is among eight composers to receive this prestigious award. His commission is co-sponsored by ~Nois, a Chicago-based saxophone quartet.

Learn more at https://music.uchicago.edu/news/hans-thomalla-receives-koussevitzky-commission-library-congress

vanessa german, UChicago's inaugural Joyce Foundation Fellow at the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, has redefined the intersection of art and education through her Winter 24' course 'Paraäcademia'—knowledge and practices historically excluded from recognized institutions of higher education—integrating art, magic, and spirituality for social healing and love. Her solo exhibition at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, on display until Dec. 15, draws on themes from her course, as well as African traditions, science, and community activism. german's 'Citizen Artist' approach highlights how art can be a powerful tool for survival, social healing, and connection. Learn more. >>

For a ‘Citizen Artist,’ Creativity Is a Matter of Survival Her residency and exhibition at the University of Chicago highlights vanessa german’s determination to tap into the power of love and art to heal traumas — including her own.

Two Humanities scholars explore artificial intelligence from different angles. Philosopher Malte Willer examines AI’s role in communication, while digital artist Marc Downie shares how AI influences his creative process. >>https://bit.ly/3yGvi9p.

Happening tomorrow!!!

Youthful Expressions: Summer Art Fest
August 1, 2024 | 6:00-8:00pm
The Arts Lawn | 337 East Garfield Boulevard
Green Line Performing Arts Center | 329 E. Garfield Blvd

Join us as we celebrate the incredible talent and creativity of our young, emerging artists.
Connect with youth, engage in meaningful conversations, and explore the potential of the next generation of artistic visionaries.

Featuring a special performance by the KLEO Center.

See you Thursday!

Congratulations to Prof. Robyn Schiff from the Department of English Language and Literature, University of Chicago, and the director of the University of Chicago Creative Writing and Poetics Program on winning the 2024 Four Quartets Prize. This prestigious award, granted by The T. S. Eliot Foundation and the Poetry Society of America, recognizes her collection 'Information Desk: An Epic' (Penguin Poets, 2023). >> https://bit.ly/4c8YlQE.

"The Four Quartets Prize—which was launched in 2018 on the 75th anniversary of the publication of T. S. Eliot’s Four Quartets in a single volume in America, in 1943—is first and foremost a celebration of the multipart poem, and is awarded to a unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook, or book in 2023."

Robyn Schiff Wins 2024 Four Quartets Prize Placing poetry at the crossroads of American life since 1910.