From the Editor

Abstract

Whenever I consider how best to make an argument for the study of the humanities, the first thing that pops into my mind is Louis Armstrong’s response when he was asked what jazz is: “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” For those of us who love the humanities, it is easy to see the value of disciplines such as art, history, and literature: they shape us, help us navigate the world, give value and meaning to our lives. Yet explaining this to administrators and politicians who weigh “value” only in monetary terms often proves difficult, and they view the humanities only as a superfluous pastime. We have struggled with an assault on the humanities—once widely considered the foundation of the university.