International Symposium: Humanities as the Horizon of Responsibility and Freedom

A collaboration among the Institute Nova Revija for the Humanities, Humanities Institute at ASU, and Barrett, the Honors College at ASU, the international symposium “Humanities as the Horizon of Responsibility and Freedom” will take place 22-24 January 2026 in the Vista del Sol Theater on the Barrett campus of Arizona State University. 

During the two-and-half day symposium, fifteen scholars from across Europe and North America will present papers exploring the symposium’s theme, with the opening address to be delivered by Prof. Dr. Andrzej Wierciński, President, International Institute for Hermeneutics and Professor Artes Liberales University of Warsaw, Poland. His talk is titled: “Toward a Hermeneutic of the Heart in the Synodal World: Humanities as the Locus Hermeneuticus of Responsibility, Freedom, and Dwelling.”

The texts considered classics in the Humanities speak to our time, too—if we might borrow Homer’s appeal to the Muse—if we but have the time and space conserved for the good company who read, discuss, and write about these texts. Furthermore, there is no conceivable time nor place now nor in future for which the Humanities will not help create the horizon into which human freedom and responsibility will move toward a collective leading of the good life. Insofar as the Humanities need both time and space for reading, discussion, and writing, this symposium is an attempt to provide a special venue for such.

It does not overstate the case to say the health and future of the study of the Humanities is inextricably connected to the health and future of free and responsible human being-together. How well or how poorly we share the world with one another depends on how well or poorly we pursue the humanistic study of freedom and responsibility and share its insights as broadly as possible.

To encourage and nurture the next generation of humanities scholars, Phainomena (the official journal of the Institute Nova Revija for the Humanities) is offering the opportunity for students who attend the symposium to publish their reflections on what it means to undertake humanistic study.

For more information concerning the symposium, please contact Dr. Ramsey Eric Ramsey of Barrett, the Honors College (rer@asu.edu).

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For a full listing of all the Humanities Institute events visit https://humanitiesinstitute.asu.edu/events