Tartu Ülikooli audoktor, professor Stefan Schreineri aulaloeng

Tartu Ülikooli audoktor, professor Stefan Schreineri aulaloeng
"The Role of Humanities in a Changing World"
5. detsembril kl 16.00-17.00 Tartu Ülikooli aulas

Humanities, studia humanitatis or studia humaniora as they were called since the renaissance era, quite often are regarded, if not as an unproductive, so at least as an unprofitable and penniless activities, and as such they are just not needed. Particularly in times of the primacy of economics over politics and, even more so, over culture, in times of subordination of all aspects of life to so-called economic imperatives, in times universities are treated as enterprises, humanities find themselves in a difficult situation. Increasingly, they are under severe pressure to prove their legitimacy, i.e. their right not only to exist, but also to deserve recognition and promotion. Focussing on the study of human culture in its broadest sense, including the study of languages and linguistics, of history and geography, philosophy and religion, law and politics, performing and visual arts, humanities help to acquire and develop those primary competences, which are indispensable for living together in globalized, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious societies like ours. It is not the task of the humanities to offer a solution for each and every social problem or minor or major society concerns, but they provide the orientation that is needed to be able to cope with them.