Humanities

Through her love of languages and plants — and some serendipity — UW junior Katie Ruesink connected with a Korean family while studying in Seoul.

Bargaining is the norm in many foreign markets, but you’ll need the right mind-set. Anu Taranath, teaching professor of English and of Comparative History of Ideas at the UW, is quoted.

Aboriginal artifacts in Australia that were likely used for ritual spells may be evidence of the oldest culturally transmitted ritual on record. Ben Marwick, professor of anthropology at the UW, is quoted.

"Growing numbers of reporters and editors, tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, are exiting the profession, citing burnout as the reason for their departure," writes Matthew Powers, associate professor of communications at the UW.

Markus Teuton, a musician and citizen of Cherokee Nation, explores contemporary Indigenous music through his academic work and as host of “Indigenous Jazz,” a radio show.

From high school to college, interest in learning a language can come from cultural obsessions, to hopes for a career in business, to fascination in personal ancestry. Kaoru Ohta, teaching professor of Asian languages and literature at the UW, is quoted.

UW senior Tisbe Rinehart, a wilderness guide for UW adventures, attended a wilderness therapy program as a teen — a difficult experience she explores in her CHID senior thesis.

"In my research as an anthropologist, I’ve focused on the evolution of human walking and running because I love the flexibility people bring to these behaviors. Humans in all kinds of environments across space and time vary how far they go, when they go and what they go for – whether food, water or friends – based on a multitude of factors, including season, daylight, rituals and family," writes Cara Wall-Scheffler, affiliate assistant professor of anthropology at the UW.

Through a UW-led storytelling workshop and course, English language learners in the Seattle area strengthened their language skills and built community.

How embracing more integrated approaches to the humanities and centering students’ experiences can create opportunities for new curricular programs and benefit existing ones. Brian Reed, professor of English and Divisional Dean of Humanities at the UW, is mentioned.

The UW's new Global Literary Studies major encourages students to explore literary traditions from around the globe and all eras of human history.

In Singapore’s growing microcosm of modern multiculturalism, literary translators bridge people across walks of life. These skilled story-weavers shoulder the responsibility of making our far-reaching roots accessible to readers around the world. Nazry Bahrawi, Assistant Professor of Asian Languages and Literature, is quoted.

"Interesting, frustrating, and necessary,” is how Sarah Levin-Richardson, professor of Classics, describes her research into the lives of enslaved individuals in the ancient world. 

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of HistoryLink.org, Pacific NW Magazine lists 10 key events in Seattle's history. Harold Tobin, professor of Earth and space sciences, and Josh Reid, associate professor of American Indian studies at the UW, are quoted, and the founding of the UW Black Student Union is mentioned.

Americans are moving within the country far less often than they once did. The peak of U.S. migration followed the end of World War II and lasted through the mid-1970s. But while overall migration is down, state-to-state moves are slowly on the rise again. James Gregory, professor and associate chair of history at the UW, is quoted.