Humanities

2017 Phi Beta Kappa Society inductees (l-r) Abdullah Alsalloum, Rachel Osmundsen, and Nagisa Taxifar show off their certificates of membership.

High (achieving) society

The MIT chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society inducts 74 distinguished graduates of the Class of 2017.

September 15, 2017

Longtime MIT professor of humanities A.R. "Pete" Gurney

A.R. Gurney, acclaimed playwright, author, and longtime MIT professor, dies at 86

An MIT humanities and literature faculty member for 36 years, Gurney was known as an outstanding teacher and inspiring mentor.

July 12, 2017

“The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II,” by John W Dower (Haymarket Books)

Is the Pax Americana truly peaceful?

MIT historian John Dower’s latest book decries the militarism of the postwar years.

June 27, 2017

MIT student Neerja Aggarwal directed "Einstein's Dreams" on stage in the spring of 2017.

Featured video: Bringing “Einstein’s Dreams” to life

An MIT student in engineering and theater arts melds her dual passions to bring physics to the stage.

June 20, 2017

Course 21A.157 (The Meaning of Life), examines how a variety of cultural traditions approach the question of how to live with purpose. Here Brother David Vryhof explains the beliefs followed by brothers at the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, a monastery on Memorial Drive.

In search of a meaningful life

Popular MIT anthropology course offers contemplation and dialogue on life's big questions.

June 15, 2017

Left to right: Matthew Nicolai, Dallace Francis, and Christian Argenti, MIT seniors in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and members of the fraternity Delta Kappa Epsom, took the MIT History seminar, People and Other Animals, together.

Entering the animal world

In a history seminar, engineering students explore shifting ideas about animal intelligence and human uses of animals throughout the ages.

May 19, 2017

2017 SHASS Infinite Mile Award recipients pose with Dean Melissa Nobles. Left to right: Daniel Irvine, Albert Wang, Luis "Cuco" Daglio, Melissa Nobles, Ana Ludwig, and Barbara Keller.

Melissa Nobles announces recipients of the 2017 SHASS Infinite Mile Awards

Awards presented to five exceptional staff members of the MIT community.

May 12, 2017

Hiromu Nagahara and his new book, “Tokyo Boogie-Woogie: Japan’s Pop Era and Its Discontents,” published by Harvard University Press

Big in Japan

Historian’s new book explores pop music and the transformation of Japanese society.

April 27, 2017

MIT alumni and faculty have a long history of public policy service. Kathleen Hicks PhD ’10 (left) is director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Samuel Rodarte Jr. ’13 is a legislative aide for U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano.

Shaping public policy in the nation's capital

Alumni continue an enduring tradition of MIT service.

April 12, 2017

Introducing acclaimed sociologist Arlie Hochschild to MIT, Catherine Gamon, director of the Sloan Student Life Office said, "Hochschild tries to scale an 'empathy wall' to understand her interviewees’ perspectives on the interplay of politics, business, and culture. To me this fits beautifully with MIT's desire to have an impact, and to bring heart into the equation — mind, hand, and heart."

In MIT visit, sociologist Arlie Hochschild discusses U.S. political divisions

At Mens et Manus America event, Hochschild recommends three pillars of action for finding common ground among U.S. voters.

April 10, 2017

“I’m really loving MIT so far,” MIT philosophy Associate Professor Tamar Schapiro says. “The philosophy department here has a reputation as being the friendliest in the country, and it’s really true. People enjoy it, and that creates a virtuous cycle.”

“What we’re doing when we try to live our lives well”

Philosopher Tamar Schapiro studies how we blend reason and emotion while refining our adult selves.

March 9, 2017

Planned in secret over a year and a half to mark David Pesetsky's 60th birthday, a surprise celebration featured panel discussions on two linguistics topics of keen interest to Pesetsky — case and wh-questions — and was rounded out with poster sessions and a celebratory dinner.

David Pesetsky honored by MIT Linguistics colleagues and alumni

Surprise gathering and "Festschrift" salute Pesetsky's research, influence, and teaching in linguistics.

March 6, 2017

"In theater, we imagine the impossible and try to make that possible," says Charlotte Brathwaite, an MIT assistant professor of theater arts, and an independent director of classical and unconventional texts, operas, dance, multimedia and site-specific installations, and concerts. "We not only imagine, but create the world as we think the world should be."

The world as we think the world should be

Assistant Professor Charlotte Brathwaite believes theater brings people together in a positive way.

February 17, 2017

"My own work has drawn heavily on a number of normally distant disciplines," says Richard Nielsen, MIT assistant professor of political science. "I’m convinced that ... despite the tendency for scholars to remain in our own disciplinary silos, the big breakthroughs on complex issues will come at the intersections of fields, from researchers and teams that are willing to bridge disciplinary divid...

3 Questions with Richard Nielsen: How political science helps combat terrorism

Assistant Professor Richard Nielsen explores why some Muslim clerics adopt the ideology of militant jihad while most do not.

February 3, 2017

“Queer Theory: The French Response,” by MIT professor Bruno Perreau and published by Stanford University Press, analyzes the dispute over gay rights in France.

A new fight with old battle lines

Book explores what France’s LGBTQ rights battle says about identity and belonging.

February 2, 2017

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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