Western Humanities Institute

The Western Humanities Institute is pleased to announce the call for papers for our annual conference, "Tradition and Innovation in Humanistic Inquiry," to be held September 18-20, 2025.

We invite proposals for papers, panels, and roundtable discussions that explore the dynamic relationship between traditional approaches to humanities scholarship and innovative methodologies, topics, and frameworks. Submissions from all humanities disciplines are welcome, including but not limited to philosophy, literature, history, religious studies, art history, and cultural studies.

The conference will feature keynote addresses by Professor Maria Garcia (University of Barcelona) and Professor James Chen (Princeton University).

Submission Guidelines:

• Individual paper abstracts (300 words maximum)
• Panel proposals (500 words maximum) with brief abstracts for each paper
• Roundtable discussion proposals (400 words maximum)

Deadline for submissions: May 15, 2025

Please submit proposals through our online submission form. For questions, contact conference@westernhumanities.org.

Submit a Proposal

The Western Humanities Institute is pleased to announce applications are now open for summer research fellowships in humanities disciplines. These fellowships provide funding for faculty and advanced graduate students to pursue research projects during the summer months.

The Institute will award up to five fellowships of $5,000 each for projects that contribute to humanities scholarship and align with the Institute's mission of advancing critical inquiry and humanistic education.

Eligibility:

• Faculty members at accredited institutions
• Advanced doctoral students (ABD status) in humanities disciplines
• Independent scholars with demonstrated record of scholarly publications

Application deadline: April 30, 2025

For application guidelines and submission instructions, please visit our grants page.

Application Guidelines

We are delighted to announce the publication of Dr. Sarah Johnson's new book, "The Moral Imagination: Ethics and Narrative in Victorian Fiction," forthcoming from Oxford University Press in April 2025.

In this groundbreaking study, Dr. Johnson examines how Victorian novelists employed narrative techniques to explore ethical questions and foster moral development in their readers. Through close readings of works by George Eliot, Charles Dickens, and Anthony Trollope, she demonstrates how fictional narrative served as a laboratory for moral thought in nineteenth-century Britain.

The book expands on Dr. Johnson's award-winning article in the Journal of Victorian Studies and represents the culmination of her decade-long research on the relationship between literary form and ethical inquiry.

"Dr. Johnson's work offers a fresh perspective on the ethical dimensions of Victorian fiction, illuminating both literary history and the ongoing relevance of narrative to moral philosophy."
— Professor Emily Wilson, University of Pennsylvania

A book launch event will be held at the Institute on April 15, featuring a reading by Dr. Johnson and a panel discussion with distinguished scholars in Victorian studies.

Book Launch Details

The Western Humanities Institute is pleased to announce a spring lecture series exploring the enduring influence of classical traditions on contemporary thought, art, and culture.

The series will feature presentations by leading scholars who examine how ancient Greek and Roman ideas, forms, and practices continue to shape modern intellectual, artistic, and political life. Each lecture will be followed by a discussion period and reception.

Schedule:

• April 5, 2025: "Democracy Ancient and Modern" - Dr. Rebecca Taylor
• April 12, 2025: "Classical Aesthetics in Contemporary Architecture" - Professor David Miller, MIT
• April 19, 2025: "Stoic Philosophy and Modern Psychology" - Dr. Eleanor Wright
• April 26, 2025: "Epic Narratives in Film and Television" - Professor Julia Bennett, UCLA

All lectures will be held at 4:00 PM in Hamilton Hall, Room 101. The events are free and open to the public, but registration is requested.

Register for Lectures