Our
Mission

Humanity is everywhere, and therefore, the humanities are everywhere.

At the Institute for the Humanities, we strive to make the humanities available and accessible to everyone and engage with people of all walks of life through the humanistic disciplines. To that end, we facilitate scholarly conversations; support the study of the humanities, and by extension the sciences; host events and conversations encompassing various fields within the humanities; and provide opportunities within the community for the humanities to uplift, inspire, and amplify the human experience. The Institute for Humanities is interested and active in all realms of society and scholarship, because Humanity is Everywhere.

More About the Humanities

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What
Are the Humanities?

At the Institute for the Humanities, we define the Humanities broadly.

While the Humanities have traditionally encompassed subjects that define us as humans and our human conditions such as music, literature, philosophy, art, poetry, anthropology and history; we see the humanities including the social sciences and hard sciences, as well as the fields of medicine, wellness, and education, as all of these disciplines are considered from our very "human" lens. Pursuit of any of these fields require other principals of the humanities, such as engagement, community, and communication. Despite the best efforts of strict categorization, one cannot isolate the humanities from any area where human beings pursue knowledge and the betterment of humankind.

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Staff

Morgan Robinson

Dr. Morgan Robinson

Director
mjr530@msstate.edu
(662)-325-3604

I am a historian of eastern Africa, interested in (among many topics) the histories of science and scholarship, language, standardization, bureaucracy, creativity, and learning. My first book, A Language for the World: The Standardization of Swahili (Ohio University Press, November 2022), examines the long-term, interconnected processes that produced Standard Swahili as it is taught around the world today, zooming in on various moments of conversation, translation, and codification. My next project is an examination of the notions of “research” and “the researcher” in the context of turn-of-the-twentieth century East Africa. I am also very interested in the history of the postal system in Tanganyika/Tanzania, and I proudly serve as the Director of the Institute for the Humanities here at Mississippi State.

About - Hugh Manatee Info Content

Hugh Manatee is not your average manatee. While he does enjoy consuming sea grass, he also enjoys consuming the humanities and all that they offer. From listening to music, to attending lectures and special events on art, literature, and history, Hugh Manatee endeavors to swim deeply in the profound ocean of the human experience. He uses social media to celebrate his humanistic adventures, from exploring Shakespeare to catching up on his favorite trashy television show. You will see him around town and at all of our events, because Hugh Manatee is EVERYWHERE. Use these hashtags to engage with Hugh.

Hugh Manatee would be amiss if he didn't mention the plight of his kind. Manatee populations are in jeopardy, and Hugh needs your help! For more information about the struggles of wild manatees, please click here: https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/endoceanmanatees/

#hughmanateeiseverywhere #humanityiseverywhere #seeHughthere

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Contact
Information

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humanities@msstate.edu

The Institute for the Humanities
P.O. Box AS
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762
(662) 325-6650

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To donate in support of the Institute for the Humanities and its programs:

Please make your check payable to the Humanities Advancement Fund and write “Humanities Institute” in the memo line. Please mail your tax-deductible contributions to:

The MSU Foundation
P.O. Box 6149
Mississippi State, MS 39762