In this special episode, Dr. Shilyh Warren, Associate Professor of Film Studies and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the Bass School at UTD, speaks with Professor Emerita, Dr. Irene Kacandes, The Dartmouth Professor of German and Comparative Literature at Dartmouth College until 2024, about her research trajectory and her commitment to extending the lessons and ambitions of the humanities to crucial controversies we face in and beyond the academy.

Dr. Kacandes discusses her initiative, Humanities for Humans, a collaborative project with the Walter de Gruyter Foundation, which aims to engage humanities scholars in public conversations about today’s complex human challenges, from climate collapse and migration to violence and human rights. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the unique power that humanities methods and approaches have to encourage deep reflection, collaborative thinking, and the imagination required to conceptualize the world otherwise. Her discussion reflects on key historical crises, including the Holocaust, that continue to shape our understanding of ethics, memory, and the consequences of division and isolation.

Dr. Irene Kacandes was the keynote speaker for the Dean's Lecture Series held in October 2024. This podcast was recorded in conjunction with her visit to UT Dallas.