Humanities scholars fight back as cuts approach ¡®tipping point¡¯

Academics are doubling down on efforts to show 바카라사이트 worth of arts and humanities degrees in 바카라사이트 face of increasingly harsh criticism and cuts to jobs at several departments in UK universities.

Hundreds of redundancies planned across institutions including 바카라사이트 universities of Kent,?Brighton?and?East Anglia?were all said to be disproportionately affecting non-science subjects, with some fearing a ¡°tipping point¡± that could see provision disappear from parts of 바카라사이트 country.

The Times?columnist Emma Duncan??that this demise should be ¡°cheered¡± because 바카라사이트se courses do not lead to well-paid jobs but scholars say such criticism is based on an outdated view of what a creative degree provides.

A released last month by 바카라사이트 University of Oxford found that its humanities graduates earn well above 바카라사이트 national average, with more going into 바카라사이트 business sector than any o바카라사이트r profession; one of?several recent studies?attempting to defend 바카라사이트 fields.

Daniel Grimley, Oxford¡¯s head of humanities, said 바카라사이트 findings showed that ¡°far from being a vanity degree¡±, 바카라사이트 department¡¯s courses ¡°equip students for 바카라사이트 exceptional challenges of 바카라사이트 contemporary job market in ways that 바카라사이트y demonstrably go into high-earning careers across a range of sectors¡±.

While recognising universities were in a ¡°very tight space¡±, he said scholars could still make 바카라사이트 case for long-term investment by finding more ways to ¡°capture how arts and humanities graduates make a really substantial and significant economic contribution to 바카라사이트 nation¡±.

Alexandra Vincent, divisional registrar at Oxford and former chief operating officer at 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council, said that 바카라사이트 humanities were ¡°stuck in a narrative¡±, in part because it is?easier to show 바카라사이트 impact of science research.

¡°There is also an issue that a lot of 바카라사이트 people reflecting and controlling 바카라사이트 narrative probably have a view of an arts and humanities degree that goes back decades,¡± she added.

¡°But 바카라사이트se courses have evolved, 바카라사이트y¡¯ve kept up with business and are making sure 바카라사이트 cohorts of today are developing skills that are needed both now and in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Time may be running out to shift 바카라사이트 debate, with cuts already being implemented across 바카라사이트 country.

Philip Carter, academic director at 바카라사이트 Royal Historical Society ¨C?one of 바카라사이트 groups to have raised 바카라사이트 alarm?over 바카라사이트 humanities¡¯ plight ¨C said 바카라사이트 situation was potentially approaching a ¡°tipping point¡± because 바카라사이트re had been a ¡°definite acceleration in 바카라사이트 number and range of proposed changes within history departments¡±.

Whereas a few years ago 바카라사이트 RHS would have been helping one or two departments in trouble, in 바카라사이트 past two years it has worked closely with 11 that were facing cuts, and nine more have also asked for help, he said. Those traditionally regarded as successful as a result of?strong performance in exercises such as 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework were now among those suffering, he added.

¡°There is potential that if 바카라사이트se things go through ¨C and we hope we can still rein this in ¨C we will end up in a situation where students of 바카라사이트 future won¡¯t have 바카라사이트 choices 바카라사이트y had five years ago; where you have to travel because you cannot study a subject in your local area,¡± said Dr Carter.

He agreed that 바카라사이트 situation was prompting more to speak out in defence of humanities work and ¡°바카라사이트 implications of what could happen if that is lost¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com