THE ROLE OF THE HUMANITIES AND CULTURE IN THE ACADEMY

Abstract

Since the days of ancient Greece until 19th century Europe, the humanities have enjoyed respectable and prestigious status. From the second half of the 1990s the status of the humanities and their prestige have changed, primarily due to the depreciation of humanities studies in a purposeful generation, and the scanty representation of graduates of the humanities in the centers of power and employment. This, in addition to a change in the values of universities — from excellence in research to professional excellence, value changes that have taken place in societies and cultures around the world, as they have in Israel. Humanities careers are not perceived as financially profitable and do not ensure future employment, even for those who wish to focus on an academic career at institutions of higher education or in schools, because there is no demand. Emphasis is placed on the study of mathematics, English, technology, and these are perceived as more “valuable”. With regard to the public-social status, these professions no longer offer prestige or esteem on the part of society. The reduction in demand for the humanities is evident from the number of students, and here the question is whether we should continue to teach and expand the study of the humanities, with all the budgetary implications of operating these programs, in an age when it seems that there is no demand. There are those who believe that the continuing provision of the humanities studies at this time, is a waste of academic resources. In contrast, others claim that although significant resources are invested in faculties of the humanities, the value of their research output is great and therefore there is need to continue funding these fields, and even to allocate additional resources to humanities research and to programs for outstanding students, with the goal of attracting additional students to the humanities. This study looks at the profile of students of the humanities, both high school students and high school graduates over the age of 18. In total, 136 subjects participated in this study (73 males and 60 females). The results show a positive and significant correlation between attitudes regarding the humanities and motivation to study these subjects in the future. In addition, a positive correlation was found between values of honesty, helping others, and contribution to the country, and motivation to study the humanities. The findings of this study contribute by daring to challenge the perception concerning the insignificant status of the humanities in our day and age — aimed at eliminating and rendering them irrelevant.