Each month, the Humanities Center invites faculty members and grad students to gather for lunch and discussion of important issues.
Each lunch forum is hosted by a faculty member, who selects a relevant short reading or creates an original one-page summary of the topic. Typical topics include emerging fields of study, the state of the humanities, curricular issues, teaching challenges, and broad questions about university policy. They occasionally focus on career-stage challenges, such as the tenure dossier, how to balance research and teaching, and promotion to full professor.
The center makes readings available a week in advance on this page. Participants are encouraged to read in advance but also welcome to come enjoy lunch and catch up on the fly.
Faculty interested in hosting a session are welcome to contact the director of the center, Ron Becker.
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 12:00 pm to 1 pm, ASC 2080, with Kristen Hoganson, the Stanley S. Stroup Professor of United states History at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Tuesday, October 7 at 12 pm to 1 pm, ASC 2080, with Edward Curtis, William M. and Gail M. Plater Chair of the Liberal Arts, Professor of World Languages & Cultures, and Director of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Indiana University, Indianapolis.
Wednesday, October 29, 12 pm to 1 pm, ASC 2080, with Anthony Harkins, University Distinguished Professor of History at Western Kentucky University.
