Simmons urges 'forceful engagement' by humanists
Debbie Lehmann
Issue date: 4/10/07 Section: Campus News
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Simmons' speech was the Inaugural Invitational Lecture in the Humanities, organized by the Cogut Center for the Humanities with the aim of allowing the Brown community to learn from prominent University faculty - many of whom may speak more often away from Brown than on campus.
Simmons "was an obvious choice" for the inaugural lecture, said Michael Steinberg, director of the Cogut Center. He added that Simmons is a "distinguished humanist" with University appointments in Africana studies and comparative literature.
Simmons called the humanities "the foundation" for other academic fields. Science and technology cannot advance without the humanities, she said, adding that "you have to walk before you can run."
Humanists continue to come under fire for holding values "at odds" with those of the public and often respond to this criticism by turning inward, Simmons said. Whenever there are breakthroughs in science, humanists are "singled out" as not contributing, she said.
But, Simmons said, humanists can and should contribute to finding solutions to all the questions individuals face today, whether relating to the environment, ethics or international affairs. She stressed that humanities should be at the center of public debates and conversations.
"Whatever the setting, we have to believe that we belong there and have something to offer," she said.
Throughout her education, Simmons said, people tried to dissuade her from studying the humanities, urging her to pursue something "constructive" and "practically oriented." But Simmons said it is important for educators to understand that the skills and knowledge people gain from the humanities "will overwhelmingly level the playing field" for them.
Simmons said universities should be responsible for identifying the values shaped and nurtured by the humanities. Universities must support efforts that put "a positive light on the role of humanists in problem solving" and must stop making apologies for the theoretical and aesthetic work of humanists, she said. Simmons also underscored the importance of applied work in the humanities, calling this "the highest priority for the next decade."