The Realm of Seriousness: The Public Role of the Humanities Scholar

Abstract

The humanities have an undeniable civic value. State humanities councils, in the programs they fund and conduct in the communities, contribute to civic enrichment, build public support for scholars and scholarship, and involve out-of-school adults in the life of the mind. Participating scholars report valuable results for their research and teaching, as well as psychic rewards that contribute to their overall professional growth. Though higher education s attitude toward such programs has been somewhat indifferent in recent decades, there are hopeful signs of change on