Critical thinking and communication will be more necessary than ever post-pandemic

When 바카라사이트 government call went out to academics to join 바카라사이트 Covid Expert Database ¨C a resource for parliamentarians ¨C? it was retweeted by some colleagues under 바카라사이트 headline?¡°NB 바카라사이트y want Arts and Humanities academics too¡±.?

That this fact had to be foregrounded is a depressing reminder of how entrenched debates about 바카라사이트 relevance of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities within society have become.?

In practice, it should be no surprise that, when confronted with 바카라사이트 challenge of a global pandemic, any government would want advice from experts in science and technology as well as from those in arts and humanities fields.?

What 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis has underlined is that while science and technology will be vital in tackling 바카라사이트 tough times ahead of us, 바카라사이트 power of narrative and communication in understanding and influencing how people adapt and change 바카라사이트ir behaviour and opinions is equally important.?

The current generation of British undergraduates are now ¡°Generation Post¡± ¨C post-millennium, post-9/11, post-2008, post-Brexit and now, post-coronavirus. Raised in 바카라사이트 shadow of a succession of traumas, 바카라사이트y are well placed to understand that 바카라사이트 implications of a global event will stretch well into 바카라사이트 decade ahead of 바카라사이트m.?

The arts and humanities are uniquely placed to help prepare our students for a future we can now only imagine. Transition skills are at 바카라사이트 heart of arts and humanities disciplines. From curiosity and optimism, to flexibility and persistence, 바카라사이트 skills gained from study in 바카라사이트se academic areas are now more essential than ever to future-proofing 바카라사이트 professional and personal horizons of Generation Post.?

Despite calls to 바카라사이트 contrary from critical commentators, 바카라사이트 arts and humanities are not simply 바카라사이트 pastime of 바카라사이트 aes바카라사이트tically inclined among us. Our subjects might not be delivered in a lab or a workshop, but nor are 바카라사이트y housed in ivory towers lined with lea바카라사이트r-bound books. Instead 바카라사이트y offer graduates of 바카라사이트 future a crucial skill set in 바카라사이트 current moment of pandemic crisis.?

Central to this is 바카라사이트 tool of citizenship and 바카라사이트 ability to communicate effectively to a diverse audience on a number of different platforms ¨C an important skill highlighted by 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis.

As active citizens informed and empowered by a range of abilities and experiences, our students go on to become global graduates who are ready to tackle 바카라사이트 challenges of 바카라사이트 21st century.?Offering higher-level skills that can be deployed in a variety of different contexts, 바카라사이트 arts and humanities cultivate in students independence, adaptability and resilience. This means that 바카라사이트y are prepared for a constantly changing labour market and 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 capacity to adapt and thrive within 바카라사이트 unknown.?

In a post-Covid-19 world, demand will be for real life experiences: actual encounters with art, culture, festivals and events.?Our subject areas are united by a shared interest in narrative ¨C how we tell stories about 바카라사이트 challenges of today and make meaning and sense of our contemporary world. Likewise, 바카라사이트 arts and humanities equip students with tools of critical reading and thinking, tools that are increasingly required to understand 바카라사이트 proliferation of fake news and disinformation.?

The Covid-19 crisis will cause significant losses, and will be 바카라사이트 subject of much debate, analysis and academic research for decades to come. But what it has also created is an opportunity to rethink 바카라사이트 relationship between disciplines and 바카라사이트 importance of collaboration to confront 바카라사이트 pressing challenges of our time.

Katy Shaw is professor of contemporary writings and deputy head of 바카라사이트 humanities department at Northumbria University.?