Humanities in Context

Course goals

The aim of the course is to develop a philosophical and multidisciplinary perspective within the humanities, also in the context of fields of science outside the humanities. 

• understanding of the tradition of philosophy of science in the humanities.
• broadening horizons: acquaintance with the interaction and cross-fertilization with disciplines outside the humanities.
• deepening insight, by contextualizing one's own discipline.
• reflection on the social relevance of the humanities.

 

Content

The course is clearly positioned in the HHP curriculum between the disciplinary first course Honours Explorations and the third course, the Research Seminar, in which multidisciplinary research is one of the learning objectives. Knowledge and understanding of the philosophy of science of the humanities is a prerequisite for broadening one's own discipline.The course offers an introduction to the concepts of multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and other forms such as transdisciplinarity. The separated field of science of the humanities is historically determined. But interaction with other fields of science is increasingly evolving. The exciting social and philosophical science interactions with social sciences, law or computer science are daily practice in the humanities.
Varying perspectives across borders are discussed in a comparative lecture series as part of the course. Interactions and cross-fertilizations, such as Digital Humanities, Medical Humanities, Environmental Humanities, Technology and Philosophy, Historische Sozialwissenschaft, Law and Humanities, Non-Western Hermeneutics (Japanese Literature) will be addressed. The scientific perspectives outside the world of the humanities are presented as a panopticum.
In seminars, these cross-connections are further elaborated through presentations. 
Within the humanities, there are also numerous interactions. To gain insight into the differences and similarities of the various disciplines within the humanities, small, disciplinary diverse teams are formed. They practice multidisciplinary research through a group assignment. The course concludes with an individual assignment which is free in form. In this assignment, a dialogue is sought between one's own discipline and a field of science outside the Humanities.

Additional information

This course is open to all students admitted to a BA UU Honours Programme.