Consider the Water Lilies

This post was written by Kathryn Charles, the current Humanities Center Intern.    Under most circumstances, I would jump at the chance to visit Monet’s garden at his home in Giverny, France. Under jet-lagged circumstances in the early morning, I did not. My husband, Sam, who had visited the garden before, promised me that if …

Lamenting the Loss of Literacy

This post was written by Cherice Montgomery, a Humanities Center faculty fellow.    As a child, I loved stories; and if the thirty books now precariously perched on my nightstand are any indication, that has not changed much. Books are some of my best friends. They tell me everything from their most trivial thoughts to …

One Year Fellowships 2025-26

BYU’s Humanities Center sponsors two one-year faculty fellowships. Unlike the multi-year fellowships, these one-year fellowships will be awarded by application rather than appointment. The fellowship period will begin in the fall semester of 2025. Fellowships will come with a salary supplement of $2,500, a research stipend of an additional $2,500, and release from two courses …

In Praise of Wandering

This post was written by Rex P. Nielson, BYU Humanities Center Director.    I’ve just returned from attending the MLA annual convention, held this year in a very chilly and rainy New Orleans. Following a lengthy more-than-ten-year stretch in which I deliberately avoided the MLA convention, a hiatus that I freely admit was prompted by …

Winter 2025: Democratic Dispositions: Learning to Live together in a Post-Election World with Leonard McMahon

The BYU Humanities Center welcomes Leonard McMahon, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at Pacific School of Religion, as this semester’s Faith & Imagination lecturer. We hope you will join us on Thursday, March 27th at 3:00 pm in 4010 JFSB for his presentation. More information forthcoming. Title: “Democratic Dispositions: Learning to Live together in a Post-Election World” About our …

Winter 2025

All Colloquia will take place in 4010 JFSB at 3:00 PM unless otherwise specified. Please visit the event page for more details.   January 16 Timothy Hampton (UC Berkeley) “Make a Cheerful Noise: Joy and the Literature of Modest Passions” January 23 Matt Ancell “A World with Two Suns: Skeptical Faith in Calderón de la …