Ep. 64 Humanities for New Publics: A Conversation with Dr. Irene Kacandes

In this special episode, Dr. Shilyh Warren, Associate Professor
of Film Studies and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the
Bass School at UTD, speaks with Professor Emerita, Dr. Irene
Kacandes, The Dartmouth Professor of German and Comparative
Literature at Dartmouth College until 2024, about her research
trajectory and her commitment to extending the lessons and
ambitions of the humanities to crucial controversies we face in
and beyond the academy.


Dr. Kacandes discusses her initiative, Humanities for Humans, a
collaborative project with the Walter de Gruyter Foundation,
which aims to engage humanities scholars in public conversations
about today’s complex human challenges, from climate collapse and
migration to violence and human rights. Throughout the
conversation, she emphasizes the unique power that humanities
methods and approaches have to encourage deep reflection,
collaborative thinking, and the imagination required to
conceptualize the world otherwise. Her discussion reflects on key
historical crises, including the Holocaust, that continue to
shape our understanding of ethics, memory, and the consequences
of division and isolation.


Dr. Irene Kacandes was the keynote speaker for the Dean's Lecture
Series held in October 2024. This podcast was recorded in
conjunction with her visit to UT Dallas.