The latest media mentions, quotes, profiles, and writings from Division of the Humanities faculty, students, staff, and alumni. Visit us on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook for more updates.

Beyond Neutrality: The university's responsibility to lead
The Point Magazine
In this op-ed, Agnes Callard critiques universities for struggling between their intellectual missions and moral leadership roles, particularly during protests. She argues that institutional neutrality is not a true value but a temporary position rooted in ignorance, which stifles inquiry. Instead, Callard advocates for "inquisitive leadership," where universities prioritize open debate and learning over taking sides or projecting moral authority.

The Olmec Legacy: Art, Culture, and Influence
Patch
Claudia Brittenham (Art History) will be a featured speaker at the “The Olmec Legacy: Art, Culture, and Influence” event on Oct. 9 in Naperville, offering an in-depth presentation on the Olmec civilization's history and artistic legacy. She will share insights into the Olmecs' lasting influence on Mexican culture, drawing from her extensive research in ancient Mesoamerican art.

ALMAS presents 'The Olmec Legacy: Art, Culture, and Influence'
Daily Herald
Claudia Brittenham (Art History) will be a featured speaker at the “The Olmec Legacy: Art, Culture, and Influence” event on Oct. 9 in Naperville, Ill., offering an in-depth presentation on the Olmec civilization's history and artistic legacy. She will share insights into the Olmecs' lasting influence on Mexican culture, drawing from her extensive research in ancient Mesoamerican art.

Jessi Jezewska Stevens The proliferation of binaries offers a new language of possibility in Sally Rooney’s latest novel.
4Columns
Sianne Ngai (English Language and Literature) is referenced in Jessi Jazewska Steven's review of Sally Rooney's Intermezzo to discuss the difficulties of merging the novel-of-ideas with realism. Ngai's critique of abstract characters embodying abstract ideas helps contextualize how Rooney's latest work responds to previous critiques of her character portrayals.

With new exhibition, Theaster Gates treats the remnants of Johnson Publishing 'as a work of art'
Chicago Sun Times
Theaster Gates (Visual Arts) gave an interview about his exhibition "When Clouds Roll Away: Reflection and Restoration from the Johnson Archive." In the interview, Gates discusses his role as the caretaker of materials from the iconic Johnson Publishing Co. and how his exhibition, housed in the Stony Island Arts Bank, showcases restored furniture, photographs, and memorabilia. Gates reflects on the significance of preserving Black archives and the lasting impact of Johnson Publishing's legacy on Chicago's cultural landscape.

Masur, Philharmonic serve up a full menu with Hindemith and Ellington the highlights
New York Classical Review
Review of UChicago composer Augusta Read Thomas's (Center for Contemporary Composition) recent work "Bebop Kaleidoscope—Homage to Duke Ellington," which was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and conducted by Ken-David Masur at the Lincoln Center in the Wu Tsai Theater of the David Geffen Hall, New York.