Penn Humanities Forum - Call for Topics: November 9
September 25, 2007, Volume 54, No. 5	Print Issue

Each year, the Penn Humanities Forum focuses its research programs and public lectures on a single theme suggested by a faculty member. The Forum invites you at this time to submit Topic Proposals for 2009-2010.

Since the Forum’s topics must appeal to postdoctoral, faculty and student researchers as well as the general public, they should be broad, interdisciplinary, historically deep and yet of contemporary intellectual import. Past examples are:  Human Nature, The Book, and Word & Image. The current theme is Origins (topic director: Gary Tomlinson), and in 2008-09—the 10th anniversary of the Forum’s founding—the theme will be Change (topic director: Peter Struck). In proposing a theme, you will be understood to be volunteering as its topic director, working with the Forum director to select speakers and run the year’s events. The topic director receives a stipend.

The PHF Faculty Advisory Board reviews all submissions and decides which will be funded. Although topics for far-distant years may be suggested at any time, the deadline for 2009-2010 is Friday, November 9, 2007. Proposals should briefly outline the conceptual scope and importance of the topic and list names or at least fields of some potential speakers.

Please send your proposals (or direct your questions) to the Forum’s Director, . For technical information, call Jennifer Conway, associate director at (215) 898-8220. Information on earlier topics can be accessed at www.phf.upenn.edu/topics.shtml.