The Humanities play a vital role in generating positive social and scientific impact. Our research produces knowledge and insight into all aspects of what it means to be human, thereby providing direction and substance for sustainable solutions to complex societal challenges. Our education disseminates this knowledge, stimulates critical thinking, and makes an essential contribution to a democratic and open society.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Sector Plan (SSH) provides an important impetus for the renewal and deepening of education and research in the Dutch Humanities. As a tradition in transition, the Humanities are increasingly seeking collaboration beyond their own domain, operating more effectively across the boundaries of universities and disciplines. Within this context, Erasmus School of History, Culture, and Communication (ESHCC) and Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil) engage in critical reflection and purposeful research aimed at understanding and addressing complex societal issues.
Two Interdisciplinary Themes
The Humanities sector plan Tradition in Transition (in Dutch) emphasises strengthening the connection between research and society through targeted investment in two interdisciplinary themes: Humane Artificial Intelligence and Cultural Heritage & Identity.
Humane Artificial Intelligence focuses on ensuring that systems are designed to be beneficial and supportive to humans, while also anticipating and responsibly managing unintended consequences. Cultural Heritage and Identity addresses core societal questions by examining processes of change and mediatisation, as well as exploring how knowledge of the past can be meaningfully applied in contemporary society.
The financial boost provided by the sector plan has been used by ESHCC and ESPhil to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and reduce the workload. ESHCC and ESPhil are engaged in two of the themes from the Humanities Sectorplan.
New appointments and investment in infrastructure & collaboration
The sector plan made it possible to appoint assistant professors and postdocs within the themes of Cultural Heritage and Humane AI. This boosted the quality of the academic staff within ESHCC and ESPhil. In addition, the academic staff at ESHCC expanded through the promotion of five UDs to sectorplan UHDs and the appointment of two UHDs as sectorplan professors. This has not only strengthened the academic staff but firmly anchored thematic expertise. Furthermore, efforts have been made to strengthen research infrastructure and collaboration: with the infrastructure funds, ESHCC has achieved partner membership of ODISSEI and CLARIAH.
ESPhil has strengthened its collaborations with national and international research groups across both themes. ESPHIL focused on deepening research into the historical roots of philosophical themes and their rediscovery in the context of the Enlightenment. Several research groups are substantively connected through joint doctoral projects, such as those on AI and Kant, and on comparative logic. The collaborative platform Critical Times was co-founded by Christopher Brunner in partnership with the Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity at Humboldt University of Berlin. Laura Garcia Portela published the book Rectifying Climate Injustice: Reparations for Loss and Damage (2024) and also contributed to the development of Erasmus University Rotterdam policy regarding collaboration with fossil fuel companies.
Education
Within ESHCC, the themes from the sector plan are explicitly integrated into the regular educational offering. At both the bachelor's and master's levels, the programs' content ties in with current themes related to cultural heritage and identity, popular culture, media and the creative sector, and responsible organisations in the digital society.
The impact of the sector plan is also visible within the philosophy curriculum. In ESPHIL's revised bachelor's programme, two new courses have been developed in collaboration with members of the Making of Modernity group, aimed at strengthening the historical perspective within philosophy. At the master's level, philosophy in history has, for the first time, been given a prominent place in a full course block within the Philosophy Now programme. This component connects ancient and early modern philosophy with contemporary issues and provides students with a deeper understanding of the origins and development of key concepts, thereby expanding the programme's thematic scope and academic coherence. Within ESPHIL, various innovations have been implemented to integrate contemporary societal and technological issues into the curriculum. Several courses (Philosophy of Art, Media and Technology, Media Aesthetics, and Ecophilosophy) have been revised to connect themes such as colonialism, social justice, diversity, and inclusion with philosophies of media and technology.
Download the SSH Sector Plans (in Dutch)
ESHCC Research Office
- Email address
- researchoffice@eshcc.eur.nl
For general inquiries, contact the ESHCC Research Office.