Archive Information

Public Humanities 2002-03

Encyclopedia of the Midwest
Encyclopedias synthesize scholarly knowledge for a general audience, and so are an instrument for public education. The Encyclopedia of the Midwest, a project partly funded by the University, is managed by an editorial staff housed at the Institute. Exploring a broad range of social, political, economic, and cultural phenomena relevant to the Midwest, the Encyclopedia will contain 1600 pages and 24 topical sections including overview essays and 1500 articles prepared by some 700 authorities, and accompanied by 400 illustrations. It will assess images of the Midwest, its geography, people, language, folklore, literature, arts, cultural institutions, religion, education, sports and recreation, media and entertainment, rural life, small-town life, urban and suburban life, labor movements and working-class culture, transportation, science, technology, health and medicine, constitutional and legal culture, politics and civic culture, and military affairs. An eventual on-line edition will extend the educational value of the Encyclopedia through multimedia versions and customized instructional publications designed for a host of specific users and audiences. The print version of the encyclopedia will be published by Indiana University Press in 2005.

the Midwest

Ohio Chautauqua
http://www.ohiohumanities.org/chaut
A chautauqua presents living history created by scholar-actors who assume the role of historical characters. The Ohio Chautauqua troupe of re-enactors travels to five communities across Ohio each summer to give a series of evening performances under a bigtop tent as well as in-character workshops for both children and adults during the day. Past chautauquas have featured figures representing American Humorists, Civil War Buckeyes, and the Ohio Frontier.The Institute co-sponsors this program with the Ohio Humanities Council.

Ohio Chautauqua 2002

Countries in the News
In 2002-03 the Institute will begin sponsoring a series of talks by academic and other experts about nations and cultures of current general interest, held during lunchtime at a downtown Columbus location.