National Humanities Center

How did medieval Muslim authors view animals? And how did their unconventional views shape modern Islam? NHC Fellow Sarra Tlili’s research examines animal themes in the Qur’an and how anthropocentric assumptions have influenced Islamic scripturalism and skewed our understandings of human and nonhuman agency.

Learn more about her important work: https://bit.ly/3Q7WN4z

This week, we say farewell to our 2025–26 class of NHC Fellows. We’re proud of all that this year's Fellows have accomplished and look forward to seeing their projects make their way into the world in the months ahead.

As the National Humanities Center observes Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), we want to commemorate all efforts taken worldwide to promote inclusion for those living with disabilities.

Recently, with special help from the State Library of North Carolina, the NHC was able to provide a copy of scholarship produced in braille for a blind Fellow. We want to thank the State Library of North Carolina for their efforts to accommodate this Fellow.

We encourage all institutions to promote inclusivity and be accessibility-forward.

How did images of animals and other objects factor into early Christian depictions and theorizing of Jesus? NHC Fellow Travis W. Proctor’s research traces the many metaphors used to describe Jesus in nontraditional, nonhuman ways and examines how these representations help us better understand early Christianity.

Learn more about his important research: https://bit.ly/4tGSnzh

Why were there so many bencao (commonly translated as materia medica) books produced during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE)? NHC Fellow Ruiying Gao’s research project examines how we can use bencao books to understand the Ming people’s knowledge of natural species, especially their perceptions of the human-nature relationship.

Learn more about her important research: https://bit.ly/4dbt4R7

The National Humanities Center announces the selection of twenty scholars to attend its second annual Scholarly Writing Institute. These scholars, from sixteen universities and colleges in ten US states, will be in residence at the Center for a nine-day intensive writing and research program in early July.

National Humanities Center Announces 2026 Scholarly Writing Institute Participants • National Humanities Center Twenty scholars from sixteen universities and colleges will be in residence at the NHC for a nine-day intensive writing and research program in early July.

NHC Fellow Adriane Lentz-Smith (2020–21) claims that writing is the greatest invention in history.
Do you agree with Lentz-Smith? What do you think is the greatest invention in history?

What was the greatest invention in history? 9 experts share their opinions Our team of historians, broadcasters and authors name the discoveries that have transformed our world over the centuries

This month we highlight the research of 2025–26 Fellows whose projects examine the complex relationships between humans and the natural world as they are revealed in depictions of fauna and flora.

Visit our latest Featured Research page to learn more about these important projects.

Humanities and the Natural World • National Humanities Center Complex relationships between humans and the natural world are revealed in depictions of fauna and flora.

The National Humanities Center has made a few changes. Read about our new website and refreshed visual identity.

National Humanities Center Unveils New Website and Visual Identity • National Humanities Center The enhanced presence highlights the Center's continuing evolution as a dynamic hub of critical thought, active collaboration, and accessible scholarship.

We’re pleased to have Douglas join us in the fall!

Professor Douglas Flowe, ​associate professor of history, has been selected as a fellow at the National Humanities Center for 2026-2027. The newly appointed Fellows will constitute the forty-ninth class of resident scholars to be admitted since the Center opened in 1978.

Congratulations to Douglas Flowe on this achievement!

Read more here:
https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/the-national-humanities-center-announces-2026-27-fellows/