Journalism and the Humanities: Sources of Estrangement, Future Prospects for Collaboration

R.S.V.P. for Journalism and the Humanities Symposium

What is lost in journalism and the humanities when the two are estranged? What do consumers lose from journalism when it is estranged from matters of the humanities? The IHR has put together a panel of six experts from journalism and the humanities to delve into the ever-decreasing role that the humanities play in the telling of current events. 

Breakfast and mid-morning refreshments will be provided.

Event flier

8:30 a.m. - Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m. - Introduction by Gregg Zachary, Professor of Practice, ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes (CSPO)

9:15-10:45 a.m. - Session I: What’s lost to journalism and the humanities when the two are estranged?
Moderator: Gregg Zachary
Stephen Pyne, Regents' Professor, School of Life Sciences, "The importance of journalism to history."
Craig Allen, Associate Professor, Cronkite School, "The importance of history to journalists and journalism."
Lee Gutkind, Professor, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, CSPO, "What makes a story good? How do the humanities help?"

10:45-11:00 - Break

11:00-12:30 - Session II: What’s lost to consumers of journalism because of its current estrangement from the humanities? 
Moderator: Sally Kitch, Director, Institute for Humanities Research, Regents’ Professor, Women and Gender Studies
Panelists:
Sharon Bramlett-Solomon, Associate Professor, Cronkite School
Leslie-Jean Thornton, Assistant Professor, Cronkite School
Dennis Russell, Associate Professor, Cronkite School

Each panelist will respond to the guiding question of the session, as well as the following questions: How has journalism training been changed by its recent focus on skills acquisition rather than on preparation in the liberal arts?   Does journalism today reinforce or challenge traditional, shallow or reductionist conceptions and interpretations of people and events?  What has been the effect of the Internet on professional journalism?