Modern Language Association

"Investing in the humanities is an investment in our collective future. In a world where everything often feels out of control, the humanities remind us that we deserve to want something better, and that we have the ability to imagine and build something better." #humanities #liberalarts #highered

For our March #MLAMemberSpotlight, we’re highlighting Gaurav Desai, an MLA member since 1989 and the current president of the Association of Departments of English (ADE). Learn more about how Gaurav’s involvement with the MLA has shaped his work: “[The MLA] is an organization that has consistently, over the years, advocated for the humanities, especially our particular niche in the humanities -- the study of language and literature (broadly conceived) and has striven to draw attention to the precarious among us. Such attention to both the humanities (if not higher education in general) and to those who are most vulnerable among us, is today, arguably more important than ever before.” Recommended resource: “The ADE is a particularly important body since its core mission is to provide support to departments and their chairs in terms of helping them grow professionally and helping them better advocate for their constituencies by providing fact-based, outcome-oriented data. The ADE (along with the ALD) has over the years conducted surveys to study the state of the discipline, hiring trends, workforce equity, professional rights and responsibilities, graduate education and countless other topics. It has issued guiding principles and suggested best practices for many of the core functions of English departments. It also plays an important role in helping faculty serve in new roles. . . As a department chair I have found [the MAPS Summer Seminars] to be the most productive spaces for engaging with fellow chairs, deans and other administrators. Everything from increasing enrollments, to understanding budgets, to strategic planning, to working with and through the challenges (and promises) of AI (and much more) is covered in-person over a period of three days and online at the Leadership Institute. It is an experience I urge fellow administrators to sign up for!” https://lnkd.in/e3-D3i25

We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for the ADE-ALD Summer Seminar (28–31 May, New York City) and the MAPS Leadership Institute (23–26 June, online). These signature events give training and support to current, new, or aspiring leaders and administrators of academic programs, departments, and centers in languages and literatures. Participants come away with insights into current trends in the profession, strategies for bolstering their programs, and a national network of peers. Learn more and join us! https://lnkd.in/e3-D3i25

"The truth is the humanities—that is, the use of creativity and imagination, in questioning the human condition—remained absolutely central to our collective survival. The evidence, though difficult to measure in quantitative metrics, exists in the atmospheric ways that humanities media continually provided relief and distraction when scientific answers were still unknown and we all felt threatened by an unknown future." #humanities #liberalarts #highered

“What research shows is that those who have humanities degrees are often more valued later in their careers because they’re able to think more creatively, more critically and more expansively,” Lamb said, “[and] because they’re able to think beyond just technical skill sets.” #humanities #liberalarts #highered

If you're a faculty member, chair, or dean seeking guidance on how to evaluate digital scholarly outputs for reappointment, tenure, and promotion—or a practitioner of digital scholarship thinking about the criteria and procedures for such evaluation, join us for a roundtable webinar on 7 April (2:00 p.m. ET). You'll hear from current and former members of the MLA Committee on Information Technology about their comprehensive new guidelines for evaluating digital scholarship. https://lnkd.in/eEMruDVp

"Google and Anthropic aren't the only companies recognizing the value of a humanities degree. One AI startup founder told BI they seek out and said those with liberal arts backgrounds have a 'creative and human-centric approach' and a strong understanding of how AI can be applied in their fields." #humanities #liberalarts #highered

"More importantly, though, it is critical to see outside of the careerist framework so common on college campuses. The world cannot run on investment bankers alone; the intellectual rigor cultivated by humanities programs is necessary for the future. . . [T]here is clear value in developing a more robust way of seeing the world and others through the humanities. Without using college for personal development, people lack the critical thinking skills that help them in their future careers as well as their lives." #humanities #liberalarts #highered

Organize a session for the 2026 MLA Annual Convention in Toronto (8–11 January)! Forms to propose a special session or submit copy on behalf of an MLA forum, allied organization, or committee are now available on the MLA website. Submissions due 1 April. https://lnkd.in/ebPCecZs

"Without the humanities, we risk losing the ability to think critically, empathize deeply, and challenge the systems that shape our world. Studying the humanities is not just a luxury, it is a necessity that we must prioritize." #humanities #liberalarts #highered