THE HUMANITIES ECONOMY

This guest column in Common Knowledge is one of three published under the heading “Economy and Humanity.” The authors argue that collaborative research projects carried out by scholars in the arts and humanities in cooperation with commercial enterprises represent an important step forward for both sectors. Such projects further academic research interests, in the process helping scholars to become effective social actors, and they help companies to better navigate commercial risks by advancing their understanding of the cultural conditions in which they operate. This nexus is what the authors call the “Humanities Economy,” and in this piece they propose ways in which it can be advanced and enhanced.