Humanities

New book illuminates Martin Luther King, Jr.’s childhood

Lerone A. Martin’s Young King reveals the boy behind the man.

A black-and-white photo of three young black children sitting on a bench
Image courtesy of the King/Farris Family
Aracelis Girmay stands a lectern on a stage

Aracelis Girmay wins PEN America poetry prize

Wooden stadium seating leads up to painting covered by a wood-slat ceiling

Inside the new home of the Department of African and African American Studies

Portrait of Jorge Ruffinelli

Jorge Ruffinelli, leading scholar of Latin American literature and film, dies at 82

In this history class, the final project is a pop song

Matthew Morrison in the Stanford arcade

Matthew D. Morrison wins Woody Guthrie, Irving Lowens book awards

Jessica Riskin in the Stanford arcade

Diving into the mind of pioneering French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

Collage of Jessica Riskin and the cover of The Power of Life

The Power of Life: The Invention of Biology and the Revolutionary Science of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck by Jessica Riskin, History

What does it mean to be reasonable?

Collage of Krista Lawlor and the cover of her book Being Reasonable

Being Reasonable: The Case for a Misunderstood Virtue by Krista Lawlor, Philosophy

Thomas Mullaney

Thomas Mullaney named UNESCO chair

Table covered with many old letters. Angle view, selective focus. Text is unrecognizable.

Historian leads project to design new AI architecture for humanities research

Caroline Winterer

Caroline Winterer receives 2026 Lyman award

Exploring the medieval roots of romance

From left: Ray Briggs, Julian Jara-Ettinger, and Joshua Landy talk

Beloved podcast 'Philosophy Talk' now available for free

Two seated students look intensely at a speaker as they perform Richard III

New English courses fuse creativity with literary criticism

Portrait of Jonathan Gienapp

Jonathan Gienapp wins Order of the Coif book award

Portrait of Al Camarillo

Four things to know about ethnic studies in California high schools

Portrait of Gerald Gillespie

Gerald Gillespie, devoted professor of German and comparative literature, dies at 92

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité engraved between two columns

Historian chronicles one of the French Revolution’s most notorious figures

Collage of Keith Baker and cover of "Jean-Paul Marat"

Jean-Paul Marat: Prophet of Terror by Keith Baker, History

Collage of portraits, from left to right: Jennifer Burns, Dan Edelstein, Stephen H. Haber

Three H&S faculty become American Academy of Sciences and Letters members

Exploring the Louvre heist with French culture expert Cécile Alduy

Matthew Sommer wearing a light-blue collared shirt standing under one of arcades on Stanford's Main Quad

Matthew Sommer awarded American Historical Association prize

Stanford inaugurates new home of MLK Institute

Portrait of Ramón Saldívar

Ramón Saldívar receives MLA lifetime achievement award

Collage of Adam Johnson and the Wayfinder cover

The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson, English

Collage of Zipperstein and the book cover of the Philip Roth biography

Philip Roth: Stung by Life by Steven J. Zipperstein, History

Photo of Philip Roth book collection

Capturing the brilliant, complicated life of Philip Roth

Portrait of Adam Johnson in his office

Stanford Pulitzer winner’s new novel tells epic tale born from writing ‘every day for 10 years’

Student stands in front of the interactive screen in the Rumsey Map Center

New undergraduate study options combine data science with humanities and arts

On a stage, a woman sits in a chair and a man stands in front of a lecturn

New speaker forum to focus on building bridges across differences

The outside of the conference room with a quote from MLK, Jr. at the top
Photo by Misha Bruk for Stanford University

King Institute embraces new home on Main Quad

Image of Joel Cabrita

Joel Cabrita wins Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize

Portrait of Josiah Ober

Josiah Ober awarded 2025 Balzan Prize

Nicholas Jenkins wins Northern California Book Award

MLK Jr. surrounded by microphones. Atlanta, GA, 1966: Alabama candidate press conference

Three things to know about the recently released MLK records

Portrait of Blakey Vermeule

Blakey Vermeule named senior associate dean for the humanities and arts

A student lifts a rock in a tide pool to see what is beneath

Oceanic humanities project envisions new wave in education

Picture of the side gate of Stanford's Main Quad with no people

Seven faculty members awarded 2024-25 H&S dean's teaching awards

A portrait of Michael Friedman

Michael Friedman, who studied the connections between philosophy and science, has died

Portrait of Gordon Chang

Historian Gordon H. Chang reflects on his varied career with new book

Collage of Gordon H. Chang and the cover of his book

War, Race, and Culture by Gordon H. Chang, History

Photo of Ana Minian

Stanford historian's book on immigration wins PEN America nonfiction award

Nancy Packer speaks at the memorial for former Stanford President Richard W. Lyman in 2012.

Nancy Huddleston Packer, award-winning writer who served as director of Creative Writing Program, has died

Portrait of Josiah Ober

Josiah Ober’s mission to revitalize democracy and civic education

Judith Richardson answers a question from a student (facing away) who has their hand raised

New course showcases humanities, social science offerings for undergrads

Stanford initiative seeks to bring more languages online

Lerone A .Martin wins James W. C. Pennington Award

Black and white illustration of samurai on horseback

New book explores historical fiction’s role in the rise of Japanese nationalism before World War II

Photo of James Reichert and the cover of his book (black, red, and grey with Japanese woodblock art)

Literature for the Masses by James Reichert, East Asian Languages and Cultures

Collage of Emanuele Lugli and the cover of Lavinia's Wondrous Portraits

Lavinia’s Wondrous Portraits by Emanuele Lugli, Art and Art History

Portrait of Nicholas Jenkins

Nicholas Jenkins wins Warren-Brooks Award

Photo of Bill Mahrt singing and looking to the left as Gregorian Chant is written out behind him

William P. Mahrt, beloved scholar of early music, has died

Portrait of Chang-rae Lee

Chang-rae Lee elected to American Academy of Arts and Letters

A group of five people sing and laugh together

Stanford historian’s documentary coming to PBS in March

Commemorating MLK’s 1967 speech at Stanford