Award-winning authors. A hillbilly horror film screening. A historical bike route project. Art, music, and more.
Humanities Week 2025 is set for Oct. 27-31.
The week’s events will highlight the humanities work happening across Virginia Tech and the commonwealth, with “The Power of Place” as the theme.
This year will “explore how distinctive geographies have shaped human communities in different times and places” with a focus on Appalachia and rural areas, said Paul Quiglely, director of the Center for Humanities at Virginia Tech and the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies.
Beth Macy, who is known for her powerful storytelling on issues of society, including the opioid crisis in her bestselling book “Dopesick,” will discuss her newest work during the keynote event at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech.
Expanding on themes of polarization and the rural-urban divide in “Paper Girl,” Macy will talk about the transformation of rural America and the policies shaping it, the decline of public education and community engagement, and ways to rebuild trust in public institutions.
“I hope to present some poignant examples that answer the question that one of my oldest friends poses in the book, ‘How do we love beyond what we can’t agree with or even understand?’” Macy said.
The week also will include a talk by Blair Kelley, recently appointed director and president of the National Humanities Center. Kelley will discuss her latest book, “Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class,” from 2-3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, in Newman Library.
Throughout the week, the events will explore the power and reach of the humanities.
“At a time when so many of us feel disconnected from the people and places around us, it’s more important than ever to engage with history, culture, and the arts,” Quigley said
Humanities Week is sponsored by the Center for Humanities and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Registration is encouraged.
