Humanities: disciplines, theory, and practice

Humanities" is a branch of education that includes history, fine art, literature, and philosophy. In most universities, the "humanities" department encompasses all of these subjects, and may include capstone type courses such as "Western Traditions," and others. Humanities do not encompass the sciences or mathematics, and yet all of these play a role in the humanities. In fact, there are some people who believe the humanities include sciences such as archaeology and culture study, as well as political science, sociology, and gender studies. Essentially, to study the humanities is to study humanity and what it is like to be a human being at any point in time. The humanities are distinguished from other types of inquiry and expression because they deal specifically with the history, culture, writing, art, and philosophy of a people, a nation, or a world, rather than dealing in scientific thought, mathematics, or other types of study and expression. The humanities deal with humankind, but at its creative and artistic level, rather than on its scientific and rational level. The humanities are imaginative and expressive, rather than rigid and based on rules and facts.

The humanities encompass many facets of fine arts including art, music, sculpture, and just about any art form. A recent example of the expression of art which indicates its diversity and many forms is the recent "Gates" project in New York City's Central Park. Created by the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, "The Gates" were a series of "Free-hanging saffron colored fabric panels, suspended from the horizontal top part of the gates," which "came down to approximately 7-feet above the ground. The gates were spaced at 12-foot intervals" (Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 2005). This freeform and visual type of artwork was many years in the planning, and took several days to set up and take down. This is an example of how artwork can take many forms and shapes, and is still considered part of the fabric of the humanities model.

In addition, "The Gates" project indicates many other current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology. First, there is the technology of the gates themselves, which were constructed out of lightweight fabric panels, steel tubing, strong bolts, and nylon thread. The materials were lightweight and yet durable, and when the exhibit was over, (it was only up for 16 days in February, 2005) all the materials were recycled. Much of this technology was not available in 1979, when the artists first conceived of the idea, and so, modern developments in lightweight fabric and steel tubing, plus innovative ways to bolt down and display the gates were all based in technologies that have evolved in the last few decades. They show how innovation and technology can affect all aspects of human life, including the humanities.