Think clearly. Act well. Appreciate life.
What: BYU Humanities Center book manuscript mentoring workshop Brief description: The BYU Humanities Center will support a faculty member (or collaborative team of faculty members) working toward the completion of a book manuscript by paying two reviewers of the scholar’s choosing to read the manuscript and offer substantive feedback. One of these reviewers will be internal to …
November 6 is the proposal deadline for research groups supported by the Humanities Center. Research groups are one of the best things the Humanities Center sponsors, and this is the time of year when we take single- or multi- (i.e., three-) year proposals. These proposals must include: a rationale a list of prospective group members a …
The Humanities Center invites proposals for next year’s annual symposium theme. This theme sets the intellectual tone for the college and provides a framework for convening meaningful conversations across disciplines. Faculty members interested in shaping this conversation are encouraged to submit a proposal by November 6. For questions or to discuss a potential idea, please …
This essay was written by Brendan Murphy, a BYU Humanities Center student fellow. In English classrooms (at least those in which I often find myself), it’s common to hear complaints or praise for various literary genres. The novel is definitely winning the popularity contest, but lyric poetry also seems to be firmly in the race, …
This essay was written by Sawyer Wood, a BYU Humanities Center intern. Recently I’ve been re-reading the novel Amor de Perdição (generally translated as “Doomed Love”), written by 19th-century Portuguese author Camilo Castelo Branco. The book is frequently compared to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as it also follows the story of two young lovers from …
All Colloquia will take place in 4010 JFSB at 3:30 PM unless otherwise specified. Please visit the event page for more details. September 10 Scott Miller Out of the Best “Books”: Hôjôki: Visions of a Torn World by Kamo no Chômei Friday, Sept. 18 Marissa Larochelle & Sara Phenix Retrovision: The Science (Fiction) …
This essay was written by Rex P. Nielson, Director of the BYU Humanities Center. In 1962, Paulo Freire, a young and idealistic lawyer-turned-educator, embarked on an ambitious educational experiment that aimed not merely to teach people how to read, but to transform Brazilian society itself. Consider this startling fact: the 1960 Brazilian census recorded an …
This poem was written by Marie Hua, winner of the 2026 Artistic Narrative section in the 2026 Humanities Center Tell Your Story Contest. Tonight, my Nǎinai makes wontons: ground pork bok choy xiāmǐ thumbs up! chop to mix, hǎo hǎo hǎo… We wrap them like small talk; like how on the way to buy …
This essay was written by Paige Winegar Fetzer, winner of the Creative Nonfiction section of the 2026 Humanities Center Tell Your Story Contest. Most of what I know about God has arrived sideways—caught like dust motes illuminated in a warm slant of light. The summer before I started graduate school, the sun slipped through …
This essay was written by Sawyer Wood, BYU Humanities Center intern and student fellow. A few months ago, Wicked: For Good was released in theaters. As the concluding adaptation of one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals, it stood among the year’s most anticipated films, and seemed to be something the whole world was talking about. When …
