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Societal impact equals research in service of society – but what society?
What is the “society” we talk about when we talk about the societal impact of research? What does it entail, what kinds of entities does it consist of, and who does it include? The discourse on societal impact that I have been immersed in as a research management professional has been more or less centered…
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Sensemaking: Five principles for applying humanities in business
Somebody recently asked me why I am so interested in linking the humanities to business. Why not concentrate more on societal impact through policy, non-profits, and community engagement? My answer? It is precisely because thinking about humanities and business together is so uncomfortable on both sides of the equation that I believe it needs more…
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Community-engaged research on the Detroit River
What does literary theory have to do with the Detroit River? A lot, it turns out! The Detroit River Story Lab is a great example of what practical humanities looks like – in practice. It is a collectively led interdisciplinary project at the University of Michigan. It is also, importantly, a partnership between several UM…