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The forgotten faculty

British and Israeli academics ponder how to elevate the humanities in their respective societies.

David Newman, dean of Humanities at BGY speaks
Photo by: Courtesy British Council
Never let a good crisis go to waste, they say. Which sounds a bit Machiavellian in outlook, but perhaps apt if applied to strategic thinking concerning the place of the humanities in society. And there’s certainly a need for strategic thinking at the moment: there are few who would dispute the fact that the study and teaching of the humanities are currently facing unprecedented challenges.

Figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics show that undergraduate admissions to courses in the humanities in Israel have fallen by almost half in the past decade, while admissions in other areas have generally been on the increase. Evidence of the malaise in the sector can be seen elsewhere: teaching posts have been reduced dramatically, and employment prospects both in and out of academia are distinctly unpromising.

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