CIPSH, the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (Conseil International de la Philosophie et des Sciences Humaines), announces a new initiative designed to highlight and encourage existing research networks of centers of research in the humanities and to attract greater attention to the humanities worldwide and enhanced recognition of their importance in contemporary society.
The aim is to endorse and publicize the establishment as academic humanities chairs of such networks, oriented towards a general theme and headed by one chairholder at universities or other recognized research institutions; the chairholder will be supported by a team of several associates in the host institution and, preferably, in one or more different institutions and, if possible, in one or more other countries. Ideally, the designated theme or project should be interdisciplinary in nature, and one or more of the supporting institutions should be located in a country or countries different from that of the host institution. The initial appointment of a chairholder will be for a period of five years, with the possibility of renewal following favorable evaluation.
The new CIPSH chairs are not intended to be in competition with already-existing programmes, namely UNESCO chairs. In fact, it would be possible for an individual and a center to hold both at one time. However, it is hoped that the humanities orientation of the CIPSH chairs, as well as other considerations, will attract a broad and diverse pool of distinguished applicants and that the designation of “CIPSH Chair” will carry with it a special prestige of its own.
CIPSH Chair
Click each of the chairs below to read more.
CIPSH-UCI Chair on New Humanities
CIPSH-UCI Chair on New Humanities, at University of California at Irvine (chair holder: Prof. Hsiung Ping-Chen). The “New Humanities” CIPSH Chair, is established at the School of Humanities, University of California, Irvine, in close partnership with Xiamen University and Chinese University of Hong Kong. UCI’s proposed CIPSH Chair in “New Humanities” will both initiate individual projects at our university and coordinate linked thematic projects carried out by scholars within the network. In this way, the impact of a CIPSH Chair at UCI will be made at multiple levels – by individual researchers through their own scholarship, by collaborative teams developing new methodologies and breaking ground in new subfields, and by networks of scholars and institutions through conferences and publications of the resulting scholarship. UCI’s CIPSH Chair in “New Humanities” will foster a global network of academic institutions and scholars who are engaged in projects that push the boundaries of disciplines and methodologies in the humanities.
CIPSH-UL Chair on Ethnolinguistic Vitality and Diversity
CIPSH-UL Chair on Ethnolinguistic Vitality and Diversity, at Leiden University (chair older Prof. Felix K. Ameka). The chair on ethnolinguistic vitality and diversity wants to advance research and practice of language documentation. The chair wants to develop several activities that promote and increase interest in the advantages of linguistic diversity, multilingualism and the maintenance of the vitality of minority and threatened languages. In doing this the chair wants to promote a language policy based on diversity, which must lead to a better knowledge of cultures and of the richness of different cultures, which is one of CIPSH’s priorities. The chair will build a network between important universities and other research institutes in order to offer both teaching and training, summer schools, workshops and conferences. This fits in perfectly well with the CIPSH mission statement to highlight and encourage existing research networks of centers of research in the humanities and to attract greater attention to the humanities worldwide and enhanced recognition of their importance in contemporary society.
CIPSH-UA Chair on Global Studies
CIPSH-UA Chair on Global Studies, at Aberta University (chair older Prof. José Eduardo Franco). The Chair includes a Doctoral Program in Global Studies of the Aberta University providing a specialized learning process and a research path articulated with a cycle of studies, also including the integration of research projects managed by international students and experts, with various publications, including a peer-reviewed journal, Journal in Global Studies. The project is in tune with the objectives of CIPSH (www.cipsh.net), since the doctoral program plans the confluence of humanities and natural and social sciences, and culture, relating them to the phenomenon of globalization, also closely related to the research and publication projects only made possible with the establishment of a network between institutions and experts, where dissemination and debates can occur in an effective way, also targeting general audiences. The Chair promotes the use of Portuguese language internationally, and in partnership with Spanish and French universities, for global linguistic diversity, within CIPSH’s Global History of Humanity project.
CIPSH-UL Chair on Digital Humanities in Education
CIPSH-UL Chair on Digital Humanities in Education, at Nova University (chair older Prof. Carlos Ceia). The COVID-19 pandemic and the generalized use of digital resources has emphasized the importance of virtual communication across national and social borders. At a time described as ‘posthuman’, an information-intensive age, our globalized societies face increasing challenges, and the Humanities have a renewed role to play, addressing discourses that feed on fear, misinformation, knowledge manipulation, fake news, and science denial. To critically rethink the (cognitive) humanities and their educational value, universities should overcome disciplinary boundaries and connect with the civil society by bridging theory and action and exploring the potential of digital literacy and digital resources. Moreover, the critical importance of teachers for global citizenship and sustainable development demands pre-service and in-service teacher education that reaches geographical areas typically non- or underrepresented in research studies supported in a vision of education as a catalyst for change for an interconnected, inclusive, equitable, intercultural, and sustainable world.
CIPSH-UH Chair Diversity of Mathematical Research Practices and Cultures
CIPSH-UH Chair Diversity of Mathematical Research Practices and Cultures, at the University of Hamburg (chair holder Prof. Benedikt Löwe). This is an interdisciplinary project that meets CIPSH’s objectives and brings in a network of partners from Asia, Europe, and North America, based on a considerable reputation and scholarly productivity.
IPSH-UBD Chair Towards a New Humanism: Spirituality and Secularity in the Modern World
CIPSH-UBD Chair Towards a New Humanism: Spirituality and Secularity in the Modern World, at the University of Brunei Darussalam (chair holder Prof. Tong Chee Kiong).
UNESCO Chairs Associated with CIPSH
- UNESCO-IPT Chair: Humanities and Cultural Integrated Landscape Management
- UNESCO-UFSC Chair: Language Policies for Multilingualism
- UNESCO-UFSM Chair: Borders and Migrations
- UNESCO-UJ Chair: Global Understanding for Sustainability