Is this the end of an era for the liberal arts? Across the globe, even Harvard is shutting down humanities programs or reducing funding. Are we prioritizing STEM and technology at the expense of culture, philosophy, and history? We explore what this trend signifies for education and society, and whether there is still a place for Aristotle in a world dominated by AI! On the show: Heyang, Steve Hatherly & Yushun
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This is Roundtable.
Is it the end of an era for liberal arts across the globe?
Even Harvard is shutting down humanities programs.
Are we prioritizing STEM and tech at the expense of culture, philosophy and history?
Let's dive into this and what it means for education in society.
And if there's still room for Aristotle in a world of AI.
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Coming to you live from Beijing.
This is Roundtable.
I'm He Young.
For today's program, I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Yu Xun.
First on today's show.
Globally, humanities and liberal arts degrees have been under the survival Spotlight since the 2008 financial downturn.
But things seem to have taken another grim turn.
In September 2024, Harvard University's flagship undergraduate liberal arts program reportedly canceled over 30 fall classes across 20 plus departments.
History and literature bore the brunt, losing six courses after the departure of five lecturers.
Is this the latest chapter in the decline of the humanities or a sign of deeper shifts in academia and even our global economy?
So guys, how widespread is the closure of liberal arts courses or even majors in higher education around the world?