NEH Summer Institute 2022

JUNE 13 – JULY 1, 2022 NEH 2022 SUMMER INSTITUTE: ENGAGING GEOGRAPHY IN THE HUMANITIES

The poet Walt Whitman writes that in the urban environment we see “the past, the future, dwelling there, like space, inseparable together.” Inspired by this idea, this three-week Summer Institute, “Engaging Geography in the Humanities,” used our location in Boston to explore the layered

nature of space and place and consider its implications for our teaching, research, and

writings in the humanities.

The Institute welcomed 20 scholars in the humanities (and related fields) who currently engage themes of space and place in their work, as well as those interested in learning how to do so. Through a series of workshops, participants gained exposure to the emerging field of digital humanities and some of its possibilities for spatial representation and analysis. Participants were exposed to digital projects and receive handson training on tools such as 3D modeling, web mapping, and Geographical Information System (GIS). In addition to providing practical skills, sessions, and workshops, we critically examined the meanings of maps and the uses of digital technology in humanistic inquiries.

The successful series of workshops were led by institute leaders, Dr. Liza Weinstein, Dr. Ángel David Nieves, and Dr. Serena Parekh who ensured that participants gained an understanding of Boston through local food tours and walking tours of neighborhoods, alongside critical engagements with Boston’s histories of enslavement through tours of the Royall House and Slave Quarters, The Black Heritage Trail, Faneuil Hall, and much more.

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