History

The Stanford Humanities Center was founded in 1980 by then-President Donald Kennedy to spearhead new initiatives in humanities research at Stanford.

The Humanities Center’s early goals remain central to its mission today. These include: providing state-of-the-art research and writing facilities for scholars; contributing to the intellectual life of the Stanford community as a whole (through lectures, seminars, conferences, and, since 1995, research workshops); initiating studies aimed at redefining the nature and function of the humanities; and focusing on issues of an interdisciplinary nature.

Ian Watt was named the first director in 1980 and in 1982-83 the Humanities Center welcomed its first thirteen fellows. Now one of the most dynamic humanities centers in the country, the Stanford Humanities Center offers approximately twenty-five fellowships every year, supports fifteen to twenty year-long research workshops, hosts four to six international visitors, stages numerous public events, and supports collaborative projects.