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Messiah University

Call for Proposals: 2027 Humanities Symposium

2027 Humanities Symposium

February 16-19 2027

 

Call for Proposals

The Center for Public Humanities is pleased to invite proposals for the 2027 Humanities Symposium, titled “Higher Education and Culture.”

Higher Education is currently experiencing an ongoing crisis of multiple dimensions, from affordability to plausibility to purpose.  In cultures around the globe, higher education historically has been both a source of hope and controversy, of conservation and transformation, of cultural consolidation and cultural revolution.  At the present moment, higher education, especially in the United States, faces doubts about its purpose and efficacy, even while many college graduates and professors continue to speak of the tremendous difference such an education has made in their own lives.  Sometimes imagined as places apart from society, institutions of higher education participate in every dimension of culture.  Indeed, the mores and practices of higher education affect a larger proportion of the global population than at any time in human history.

In this light, we welcome individual or collaborative proposals for symposium sessions or events from all departments, campus offices, faculty and staff, University alums and student groups, as well as interested members of the Harrisburg and Central Pennsylvania community. Past presentations have included faculty-student conversations, interdisciplinary and departmental panels, poster sessions, multimedia presentations, and artistic performances, such as dance, film, concerts, poetry readings, exhibitions, and more. 

Possible areas of discussion include but are not limited to:

  • Personal narratives from faculty and/or students on their own educational journey and the relationship of that narrative to other social and cultural issues.
  • The history and development of disciplines in the contemporary university.
  • The value of academic freedom in the context of cultural and political imperatives from the nation-state.
  • The purpose and provenance of attacks on higher education in the past and present.
  • The history of higher education institutions and systems.
  • The role of Christian colleges or universities in the larger landscape of higher education. In what ways are we distinct and in what ways to we mirror practices in higher education more broadly.
  • Tensions or productive relationships between universities and local cultures.
  • Any other topic that may be of interest to an audience of Messiah University students and educators and to the surrounding community.

Proposals for individual student presentations of any of the types listed above require a faculty sponsor.  Student presentations other than posters should be 10-15 minutes long.

Interested participants can submit proposals here

Proposals will be expected to provide a description of the proposed presentation and how it relates to the specific theme of the Symposium. Deadline for submission is Monday, November 2, 2026.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas for a proposal, please do not hesitate to contact CPH Director Pete Powers at ppowers@messiah.edu.

Peter Kerry Powers, Professor of English
Director, Center for Public Humanities
Messiah University
One University Avenue
Mechanicsburg PA 17055
717.766.2511 ext. 2144
ppowers@messiah.edu.