Throughout our world’s history, creative expression has had a unique ability to span cultural boundaries and define what it means to be fully human. Today, the importance of our artistic endeavors is amplified, inspiring a renaissance of arts and humanities scholarship in higher education.
Not only are these disciplines a universal language through which countries bridge differences, they now play an integral role in shaping rapid technological and medical advances.
They are powerful drivers of economic and cultural development. They provide context for the prolific visual culture we live in. Everyone from scientists to urban planners must have creative, aesthetic, and ethical awareness in order to navigate our ever-changing world.
At Northeastern, this reality can be seen in rare new blends of interdisciplinary collaboration among our faculty, and in thriving partnerships with other institutions. Because of these new ventures, the arts and humanities are becoming pathways for us to identify society’s most daunting challenges, articulate solutions, and be a creative force of good in the world.
We see that dynamic at work in the narrative genius of Davis Distinguished Professor of American Literature Carla Kaplan’s scholarship, detailed in the pages of this issue. She enlists the unique genre of group biography to illuminate the driving force behind several fearless yet historically overlooked women writers, artists, and civil rights activists—white women who, in many cases, sacrificed family and social standing to live in and advocate for the black community. Through their stories, a nearly extinct piece of history is resurrected. The true gift of her work, however, lies in its impact on current society—in the way her writing inspires a wide readership to better understand the racial issues of today.
And we see this wave of change in the scholarship taking shape in our new academic centers. Interdisciplinary ventures like Professor Kaplan’s planned Humanities Center, for example, will integrate the arts and culture with dimensions of public policy, law, science, and medicine. Likewise, the Creative Industry initiative pulls together ensembles of individuals interested in music, multimedia studies, graphic design, communication, business, and technological entrepreneurship.
Outside of campus, Northeastern is looking at specialized institutions in the area to see how we can help one another thrive. In this issue, you’ll discover how our aspiring architects work with city agencies to design urban housing proposals for real sites around Boston. Collaborations with the New England Conservatory, Hebrew College, the Massachusetts College of Art, and the New England Aquarium also inspire our campus community and our neighbors to be both creators and appreciators of the arts. We join with our neighbors to create film festivals and jazz concerts. We partnered with the Boston Symphony Orchestra to launch an acclaimed online music conservatory. In conjunction with the Museum of Fine Arts, we now offer bachelor and master of fine arts degrees.
As the stories and photographic essay in these pages attest, Northeastern faculty and students are prolific in their creative outlets and determined to shape their vision of the world. Yet one universal commitment threads their diverse endeavors together: Nothing they create is relegated to the ivory tower. What they imagine and produce as artists, writers, scholars, teachers, and students is destined to be out in the world, engaging people of different backgrounds, and helping us to solve problems; find answers; and better serve our city, our nation, and the world.
Sincerely,
Joseph Aoun
President, Northeastern University