Skip to Main Content

Humanities Guide

Introduction

What are the humanities?

Humanities is the study of humanity, not the natural sciences of humans, such as human biology or psychology but what humans have created, their history, their languages, and their thoughts and ideas:


Arts
the expression of human creativity to convey stories, meaning, and feelings
Visual Arts
static, physical art producing physical objects that can be viewed repeatedly
Performing Arts
ephemeral, moving art using bodies, voices, music, and/or inanimate objects that is for a moment in time
History
the past story of people groups and events
Languages
a system of communication using sounds, written symbols, and syntax
Law
a system of rules enforced by a government of a group of people to address problem behavior
Literature
a body of written work of a language or people, especially works of artistic or intellectual value
Oral Literature
spoken works or song, generally of a traditional nature, repeated through time in the same way
Philosophy
theories about existence, knowledge, nature, meaning, thought, and ethics based on reason and logic
Political Science
political institutions and the principles and conduct of government
Religion
sets of beliefs about God or gods, the universe, the unseen spiritual world and how humanity relates to them

General Humanities Databases

E-books on Humanities

Websites on Humanities