HUMANITIES INFO & Resources
Welcome to CivicStory’s humanities and news info and resource page
These exhibits explore the relevance of humanities to news. We invite you to explore and reflect on these humanities-oriented headlines, short videos, graphics, and links related to news and our democracy.
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Exhibit 1: Three Story Headlines
Below are three story titles and descriptions: two long-form stories published in Nov. and Dec. 2023, and a shorter story published Feb. 2024.
Reaching Higher: The drive to increase Newark’s rates of postsecondary education: The city is nearing its 25% college attainment goal set by the Newark City of Learning Collaborative, but there’s still work to be done.
Free Acres: A wooded north Jersey enclave with a utopian past: A community founded on principles of common land ownership embodies collective spirit.
Putting People First: A New Approach to Political Coverage: Can newsrooms learn to pivot from election news-as-sports, to citizen-centered journalism?
Exhibit 2: Two Videos
Video #1: Trading Ideas on Humanities & News
Click to view [2:30]
Three editors and journalists trade ideas on humanities & news: Robin Wilson-Glover, NJ.com; Deborah Yaffe, freelance journalist; and Nicola Menzie, Faithfully Magazine Founder and Managing Editor.
Video #2: The “Superpowers” of the Humanities
Click to view [2:30]
A journalist/author describes 3 essential “superpowers” that humanities offers to journalism.
Exhibit 3: Two Graphics
Which of the two images below conveys humanities most effectively?
Further Info & Resources - Civics & Democracy
Recent Short Videos
#1 – Humanities as Living an Examined Life
A professor of philosophy and the environment weighs in.
#2 - Mosaic - Amplifying Under-amplified Voices
The mission of Mosaic by Director of Digital Opinion for NJ.com.
#3 – Faith Reporting & Audience Engagement
Founder and Managing Editor of Faithfully Magazine discusses the relevance of faith in news.
Articles & Blog Posts
A ‘People-First’ Approach to Election News Coverage | by Nicola Menzie (Feb 8, 2024)
The 2023 Humanities Reporting Project Review: Finding beauty in the particulars | by Dr. Kim Rhodes (Jan 25, 2024)
Reaching Higher: The Drive to Increase Newark’s Rates of Post-Secondary Education | by Deborah Yaffe (Dec 20, 2023)
Free Acres: A wooded north Jersey enclave with a utopian past | by Deborah Yaffe (Nov 15, 2023)
Forgotten History: Center highlights civil rights pioneer T. Thomas Fortune | by Deborah Yaffe (Oct. 4, 2023)
Humanities delivers the thrill and benefits of asking “why” | by Jordan Akers (May 26, 2022)
5 Past Videos
Drew University Students on Environmental Writing, Theatre, Philosophy [2:43]
“You can’t have a functional democracy without citizens who can make rational decisions.” “Citizens can be creative; we can’t forget that we have that power”
Seton Hall University Students on Humanities, Diplomacy, Medicine [2:42]
“I wouldn’t be a complete doctor without the humanities -- to enhance my empathy and find out how people think.” “A liberal education is a freeing education.”
Montclair State University Students/Faculty on Latin, Philosophy & Kids [2:42]
“Kids are always asking the big questions: everything is how… what…why?” “It lets us break out of a single form of thinking.”
Stockton University Faculty on Humanities and the Nature of Democracy [2:00]
“…to describe what it is to be a human.” “The whole nature of democracy is based on a deep understanding of the world around us that allows us to make choices…”
WORDS MATTER: NJ Higher Education Leaders on Humanities [2:25]
“Areas of learning that nurture the inner person. “ “A suppleness of intellect that makes people adaptable in highly competitive environments.”