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Center for the Humanities at Temple

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Activities

2026-2027 Theme: Materialities

Inspired by Jane Bennett’s Vibrant Matter, CHAT’s 2026–2027 theme explores the multiple ways that matter—human and nonhuman—shapes our world. This includes sonic, physical, geographic, and affective materialities, each offering a lens to examine the forces, forms, and interactions that surround us. By attending to the vitality of materials and their entanglements with social, cultural, and ecological systems, the theme invites reflection on how the human and nonhuman co-constitute realities. Through research, creative work, and interdisciplinary dialogue, CHAT seeks to illuminate the dynamic material dimensions of experience, perception, and the world we inhabit.

    image of a statue with a blue bar over his eyes and the theme text in black.

    Humanities Through Art Contest 

    During 2026-2027, CHAT launched the Humanities Through Art Contest to create a space for students to explore the humanities by channeling emotional energy, critical thinking, and responses to current events through art. Entries engaged with the 2026-2027 them, Materialities, reflecting the complexity of human experience and the transformative power of the arts. The winning submissions are on display in CHAT. 

    • Check back for more information and a call for 2026-2027.

    Writers of Color Series

    Dr. Srimati Mukherjee (English) co-founded the Writers of Color Series in 2021 as a response to violence against BIPOC bodies. Dr. Mukherjee revived the series during Spring 2026 with a discussion of the novel My Monticello. Stay tuned for reading selections and meetings during 2026-2027.

    Theatre Journal

    CHAT’s Center Director is joining Theatre Journal as Co-Editor starting Fall 2025. For more than 70 years, Theatre Journal has been at the forefront of scholarship in theatre, dance, and performance studies. CHAT is thrilled to support the journal’s operations and strategic vision, reflecting our commitment to advancing humanistic inquiry and fostering innovative research in the performing arts. We look forward to helping the journal continue its influential role in shaping scholarly conversations in the humanities. Learn more about Theatre Journal.