Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Seminar on Myth
Call for Student Fellows
It is a sure sign that a culture has reached a dead end when it is no longer intrigued by its myths. –Greil Marcus
About our Theme
Thomas Aquinas wrote that philosophers must be lovers of myths—those strange, often awe-inspiring tales that seem to offer us access to a larger, more mysterious world. Yet we define reason precisely as the destruction of myth—the revelation of a perfectly ordered and knowable world free of both wonder and ideology. And so, we live our lives in this contradiction: surrounded by the stories we tell ourselves about the world that we simultaneously seek to dismiss or destroy. One way to understand the long-standing suspicion of the arts and humanities in the age of reason, in fact, is precisely a stubborn hostility to those mysterious forces that resist reason. They offer, after all, alternative ways to create community, speculate about other ways of being, and make meaning of our chaotic lives.
This year, the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities will explore the topic of myth in all its complexity, ranging from the variety of religious belief to the modern insistence that reason is the enemy of imagination. We encourage applications from all those working in the arts, humanities, and social sciences who are eager to explore the topic. What does it mean, for example, to dismiss foundational ideas like progress or the belief in American exceptionalism as myths? Is myth a fundamentally human invention? And what special ways does it provide for mapping the larger world and our place in it? Should we understand myths as the enemy of reason, or as an alternative way of knowing and understanding? What’s the relationship between myth and politics—and what do we both gain and lose by trying to shatter or dismiss myths as mere superstition? What myths have endured? Which of them have withered? And what, if anything, do they share across time, cultures, and languages?
The Center’s work will be broadly interdisciplinary and draw on the distinctive tools of the arts and humanities while also weaving them together with science, law, business, medicine, and engineering. Fellows will pursue their own research, while also helping design a robust array of public programs at 101 Archer, including exhibitions, lectures, performances, and more. Students will pursue this work alongside specially selected faculty as well as members of the larger Tulsa community who will bring their own expertise and perspectives to bear.
About the Fellowship
The Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Seminar sponsored by the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities at the University of Tulsa is intended to promote engaged, intellectual discussion on topics of current public and intellectual interest. Every year, a group of approximately eight research fellows will be chosen to collaborate on a series of weekly seminar discussions. It is hoped that these discussions will then lead to further projects, undertaken collectively or individually. These might include research papers, digital projects, creative works, or efforts designed to spur civic action and service. The admissions committee will judge applications based on an assessment of the proposal’s interdisciplinary appeal and its potential for sparking dialogue among other members.
Undergraduate, graduate, and law students at TU across all majors and colleges are eligible for the seminar. The Center will cover all costs for participating in the seminar including books, films, transportation, meals, and tickets to events. Course credit for participation is available, subject to approval by the appropriate dean.
Application Instructions
Applications for participation in the seminar should include the following.
- A resume, CV, or short bio including contact information and an unofficial transcript.
- A brief letter of recommendation from a member of the TU faculty.
- Full responses to the three application questions listed below.
Applications should be sent by electronic attachment to humanities@utulsa.edu.
Application Deadline: April 30, 2025
Application Questions (no more than 1,500 words total):
- What is it about the concept of myth (broadly conceived) that most interests you and how does it connect your civic, professional, intellectual, personal, or artistic interests?
- How would participation in this seminar contribute to your educational goals? Do you see a project—perhaps a senior project, a TURC project, a conference paper, a dissertation chapter, or some sort of artistic work—coming out of your participation in the seminar?
- What are some of the key works (books, images, performances, films, articles, etc.) that you believe raise important issues about the theme. Please simply list 10-12 items.
To get a sense of the OCH’s public humanities initiatives, please visit our website. If you have questions about the seminar and the application process, please contact Sean Latham (sean-latham@utulsa.edu).