New Humanities

Abstract

The New Humanities are a signifcant critical and creative response to the Anthropocene, especially the Environmental, Medical, Public and Digital Humanities. This chapter examines the rise of these new felds of research and teaching and assesses their salient features, theoretical assumptions and methodological innovations, as well as their institutional applications. The authors argue that far from being the symptom of crisis, the New Humanities are a sign of vitality and innovation and that their capital of knowledge and representation needs to be enlisted to public debates about the Anthropocene. Equally necessary is the inspiration provided by many generations of critical interdisciplinary felds, notably feminist, gender, decolonial and race studies. The article argues forcefully for a culture of mutual respect between the Humanities, Social sciences and Life sciences to support researchers and citizens through the ongoing transformations.