Help Support H-Net! | Visit New Books Network en Español!

New Books Network

About New York Institute for the Humanities

Since 1977, the New York Institute for the Humanities has brought together distinguished scholars, writers, artists, and publishing professionals to foster crucial discussions around the public humanities. Through weekly seminars and public events, the NYIH nurtures conversations and collaborations among its network of fellows to broaden the intellectual vision informing and enlivening public culture. For more information and to support the NYIH, visit nyihumanities.org.

Since 1977, the New York Institute for the Humanities has brought together distinguished scholars, writers, artists, and publishing professionals to foster crucial discussions around the public humanities. For more information and to support the NYIH, visit nyihumanities.org.

NBN Episodes hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities:

The Vault February 2, 2023

Sennett and Foucault on Sexuality and Solitude (1979)

Richard Sennett and Michel Foucault

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In 1979, sociologist and NYIH founder Richard Sennett, and philosopher Michel Foucault, discussed the connections between the history of sexuality and self consciousness. In this episode from the Vault, the …
The Vault January 9, 2023

Rousseau's Ideas About Censorship in the Arts

A Lecture by Richard Sennett

Richard Sennett

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In 1982, the Institute held a multi day discussion of censorship. In this session from the Vault, sociologist Richard Sennett talks about Jean Jacques Rousseau’s ideas about censorship in the …
The Vault January 5, 2023

On W. H. Auden

A Discussion with Christopher Isherwood and Stephen Spender

Christopher Isherwood and Stephen Spender

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In 1983, ten years after W. H. Auden’s death, the New York Institute for the Humanities organized a series of readings and discussions of his work. In this episode from …
The Vault January 3, 2023

Why are Insects so Scary? On Insects in Films.

A Lecture by May Berenbaum

May Berenbaum

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
This episode from the Vault is a lecture by May Berenbaum about why insects are so scary. Professor Berenbaum is an American entomologist whose research focuses on the chemical interactions …
The Vault January 1, 2023

Comedies of 'Fair Use'

Lewis Hyde on Owning Art and Ideas

Lewis Hyde

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In April 2006, The Institute held a two day symposium about copyright and intellectual property, titled Comedies of Fair Use. In this session, Lewis Hyde talks about owning art and …
The Vault December 30, 2022

Edmund Leach on Roman Jakobson's Contributions to Linguistics

Edmund Leach

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, we hear the1982 Gallatin Lecture, in which Sir Edmund Leach discussed the work of Roman Jakobson, who he met in 1960, at Stanford’s …
The Vault December 28, 2022

"Gone with the Wind" Revisited

A Lecture by Molly Haskell

Molly Haskell

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this week’s episode from the Institute’s Vault, Molly Haskell talks about her 2009 book, Frankly, My Dear: "Gone with the Wind" Revisited, published by Yale University Press. Haskell grew …
The Vault December 27, 2022

The Role and Revival of Narrative in History

A Lecture by Laurence Stone

Laurence Stone

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this week’s episode from the Institute’s Vault, we hear a lecture on the revival of narrative in history by Laurence Stone. Professor Stone taught at Princeton from 1963 to …
The Vault December 6, 2022

Second Thoughts on Consistency

A Lecture by Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In October 1981, Hans Magnus Enzensberger gave the Institute’s James lecture, titled “Second  Thoughts on Consistency.” Enzensberger, who died in November, 2022, at the age of 93, was a German translator …
NYIH Conversations December 5, 2022

Dirty Work

Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America

Eyal Press

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In the episode of Conversations from the Institute, we hear from Eyal Press, who is the author of Absolute Convictions: My Father, a City, and the Conflict that Divided America …
The Vault October 25, 2022

Leonardo da Vinci and Vassari’s "Lives of the Painters"

A Lecture by Harry Berger

Harry Berger

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode of the Vault, we hear Harry Berger’s talk about Leonardo da Vinci and Vassari’s "Lives of the Painters." Harry Berger was a scholar of Renaissance English literature …
The Vault October 10, 2022

Eric Hobsbawm on "Literacy and the Tower of Babel"

Eric Hobsbawm

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Vault, we hear from historian Eric Hobsbawm, a frequent visitor at the New York Institute for the Humanities. His talk, Literacy and the Tower of …
The Vault October 10, 2022

Eric Hobsbawm on "Literacy and the Tower of Babel"

Eric Hobsbawm

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Vault, we hear from historian Eric Hobsbawm, a frequent visitor at the New York Institute for the Humanities. His talk, Literacy and the Tower of …
The Vault October 3, 2022

Clothes in Literature

A Talk by Anne Hollander

Anne Hollander

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this 2008 episode from the Vault we hear from fashion historian Anne Hollander, a longtime member of the Institute, and former president of the PEN American Center. Hollander was …
The Vault September 19, 2022

Tod Gitlin on the Recovery of American Ideals

Tod Gitlin

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, we hear from Tod Gitlin. Gitlin was president of the Students for a Democratic Society, and went on to become a sociologist, political …
The Vault August 23, 2022

Greil Marcus on the Death of His Father

Greil Marcus

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this 2008 episode of The Vault, Greil Marcus reads from a Three Penny Review essay about the death of his father, who went down with the USS Hull in …
The Vault August 17, 2022

His Sister, Her Monologue

A Discussion with Hilton Als

Hilton Als

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this 2011 episode from The Vault, Hilton Als reads from, and discusses, His Sister, Her Monologue, a novella he published in Mcsweeney's #35. Als is a staff writer at …
The Vault July 27, 2022

Samantha Power on Hannah Arendt and Human Rights

Samantha Power

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, Samantha Power describes how Hannah Arendt influenced her thinking about politics and human rights. Power spoke during a two day symposium-- “Hannah Arendt …
The Vault July 25, 2022

Learning to Drive

A Talk by Katha Pollitt

Katha Pollitt

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
A longtime Institute member, Katha Pollitt is an American poet, essayist and critic. She is the author of four essay collections and two books of poetry. Her column for The …
The Vault July 13, 2022

On Hannah Arendt and Humanitarianism

A Discussion with Rony Brauman and Samantha Power

Rony Brauman and Samantha Power

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
From the Institute’s Vault, we have an excerpt from a two day symposium--“Hannah Arendt Right Now”--which explored the philosopher’s impact on the 21st Century. The 2006 event was held on …
The Vault July 8, 2022

On Hannah Arendt's "Eichmann in Jerusalem"

A Discussion

Anthony Grafton, Rony Brauman, Margarethe von Trotta, and Pamela Katz

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, we have an excerpt from a two day symposium--“Hannah Arendt Right Now”--which explored the philosopher’s impact on the 21st Century. The 2006 event …
The Vault June 20, 2022

On Arendt and Iran

A Discussion with Azar Nafisi and Ladan Boroumand

Azar Nafisi and Ladan Boroumand

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, we have an excerpt from a two day symposium--“Hannah Arendt Right Now”--which explored the philosopher’s impact on the 21st Century. The 2006 event …
The Vault June 13, 2022

On Hannah Arendt, Iraq, Vietnam, and Totalitarianism

A Discussion with Kanan Makiya and Jonathan Schell

Kanan Makiya and Jonathan Schell

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, we have an excerpt from a two day symposium--“Hannah Arendt Right Now”--which explored the philosopher’s impact on the 21st Century. The 2006 event …
The Vault June 6, 2022

On Arendt and the Nuclear Question

A Discussion with Jonathan Schell and Elisabeth Young-Bruehl

Jonathan Schell and Elisabeth Young-Bruehl

Hosted by New York Institute for the Humanities
In this episode from the Institute’s Vault, we have an excerpt from a two day symposium--“Hannah Arendt Right Now”--which explored the philosopher’s impact on the 21st Century. The 2006 event …