Road Scholars provide a wide array of public humanities programming throughout the sate

CHICAGO – Looking for a way to help engage Illinois communities in discussions about Illinois history, literature, architecture or any humanities discipline? If you would enjoy making connections and exercising minds throughout Illinois, the Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) wants to hear from you. The Illinois Humanities Council is seeking scholar-applicants for its speakers bureau, entitled Road Scholars . Humanities scholars affiliated with Illinois colleges and universities and independent scholars are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is August 15, 2004 . Interested scholars should contact Ryan Lewis, Program Officer, at the IHC at 312.422.5585 ext 231 or via email at ryan@prairie.org for an application.

For a small processing fee, the Road Scholars program places humanities scholars in diverse communities throughout the state where they give presentations on a variety of topics related to the humanities, topics that encourage reflection on the human condition from a range of perspectives. As branches of learning, the humanities include the study of history, literature, linguistics, music, politics, anthropology, philosophy, jurisprudence, and comparative religion. Interdisciplinary areas such as folklore and Women’s Studies are also considered humanities disciplines.

Speakers will receive an honorarium based on number of miles traveled and will be reimbursed for their expenses. They typically have two different presentations listed in the catalog and on the IHC’s website, although exceptions can be made. All presentations proposed should be roughly 45-60 minutes in length, including time for audience discussion. All must employ the perspectives of the humanities. The IHC welcomes proposals for presentations beyond the traditional lecture/discussion format, including slide/tape presentations, first-person characterizations of historical figures, and even walking tours. Programs may address topics related to issues of local, state, national, or international concern. The IHC will also accept proposals for team presentations. Please note that the National Endowment for the Humanities guidelines under which the IHC operates prohibit support of presentations directed at persuading an audience to a particular political, philosophical, religious, or ideological point of view.

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