What is the value of the humanities

What is the value of the humanities? Why should we study the humanities given the current economic recession? In this new era of continuous unemployment slides and shrinking university funds, questions about the importance of the humanities in a complex and technologically demanding world have taken on new urgency.While the humanities may not seem as important as engineering, chemistry, or any of the other "hard" sciences, it still plays a significant role in the world. There is a great misunderstanding of what the humanities are and what they can do. People often assume that the humanities are just about reading the great literary and philosophical works and understanding the question of what living is for.I would argue that humanities – at least from a Cultural Studies perspective – is much more than reading the classic works and speculating about the meaning of life. In Cultural Studies, we apply theory to practice. Thinking and acting outside of the ivory tower, Cultural Studies attempts to produce research that engages with the public. As a cultural researcher, I am constantly asking myself the "So what?" question. Why does this topic matter? Why should people care?This continuous self-questioning helps bridge the gap between theory and practice. While I am learning for the sake of learning, I believe scholars have the responsibility to think about the ways in which their research relates to the larger picture. What is the point of research if it doesn't affect the way people think about and act in the world?One thing I think Cultural Studies does effectively is rethinking the way we have traditionally thought about things. In Cultural Studies, few things – if anything – are taken for granted. Our research is largely driven by the question of what it means to be human. Through critical and creative engagement, we attempt to speculate on a question in a way that inspires people to imagine what might be instead of what is.This critical and creative engagement is especially important given the worsening state of the economy and the need for creative ways of being in the world.