Historian John Fea’s twitterstorm in defense of the NEH
Related Links
● Former GOP congressman Jim Leach defends NEH
● John Fea's extended article in the Times Higher Ed
Critics of government funding for the humanities like to point to the specialized scholarly research funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities(NEH). The argument goes something like this: “We don’t want our tax dollars going to fund a study of the Oxford comma in late 19th-century Victorian literature.”
I am sure that a scholar working on the Oxford comma could convince other scholars (who sit on the NEH funding committees) that his or her research is very important to society. But such a project will be a hard sell for ordinary Americans concerned about how their tax money is being spent. (Please don’t misunderstand me here. I am not arguing that this kind of scholarship is not valuable. I am just trying to understand how this project might look to someone like my high-school educated father).
But criticizing the public funding of the humanities and the mission of the NEH based on its work with academic scholars fails to acknowledge the fact that most NEH money goes to programs that, whether we realize it or not, often have a direct or indirect influence on our lives.
I tweeted (@johnfea1) about some of this tonight in the wake of the news that President Donald Trump wants to eliminate the NEH. Here are some of those tweets:
I just went on that tweet storm to show that only a tiny amount of @NEHgov funding goes to scholars working on obscure #Humanitiestopics.
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
The National Endowment for the Humanities funds this program. Trump wants to end the funding: https://t.co/KvyvIU2shc #slavery
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
The National Endowment for Humanities has funded these workshops for teachers. Trumps wants these cut. https://t.co/pIdMBazwpg #sschat#k12
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@NEHgov funds efforts by museums, archives, and history sites to preserve their collections. Trump wants this cut: https://t.co/pSt1o2U0Lg
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@NEHgov funds scholars who write history books for the public: https://t.co/ZrzkxkcBvQ #humanities
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@NEHgov funds digitization of newspapers for all the Trump-supporters who do genealogy. Trump wants this funding cut: https://t.co/8DJMgf5WNL
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@nehgov promotes in-school and extracurricular programs for school children: https://t.co/t0SFFAKuVS #humanities. Trump wants these cut.
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@NEHgov supports humanities programs at community colleges. Trump wants these programs cut: https://t.co/qC80lcVTAx #humanitiesmatter
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@nehgov promotes humanities-based video games, websites, and apps https://t.co/DkbhCMRB53 Trump wants this funding cut. #humanities
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@NEHgov promotes programs on patriotism, civic duty, & military experience in U.S https://t.co/YBV3RfN9iM Trump wants these cut #humanities
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@NEHgov promotes programs and projects promoting America’s “Common Heritage.” Not just obscure scholarship. https://t.co/Lxl6jru6NU
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
@nehgov has programs that promote reading groups at libraries and museums. Trump wants these cut: https://t.co/lagSeqmMpe#humanities
— John Fea (@JohnFea1) March 17, 2017
It’s time to call your representative in Congress.