Humanities Institute

The Humanities Institute is made up of the Center for Ethnic Studies, the Center for Folklore Studies, the Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies, the Center for the Study of Religion, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, and the Humanities Collaboratory. 

Upcoming Events

Artwork with text that reads "You only get what you are organized to take"
Mon, October 26, 2026
Event Start Time: 11:30 am
Event Location: 311 Denney Hall
Book Cover of Kinesthetic Peoplehood by Dr. Hannah Kosstrin
Wed, October 28, 2026
Event Start Time: 12:00 pm
Event Location: Eisner Seminar Room, 205 Sullivan Hall
(Image: Human skeleton with red heart) Medical Humanities Logo
Wed, October 28, 2026
Event Start Time: 3:30 pm
Event Location: 311 Denney Hall
Art piece by Dana Lynn Harper, Still It Calls Me, 2026
Wed, November 4, 2026
Event Start Time: 5:45 pm
Event Location: 250 Hopkins Hall

Recent News

We celebrate "moth-vember" (with a drawing of mothman)

Humanities Institute and Center for Folklore Studies Partner to Celebrate Mothman Legend

This November marks the 60th anniversary of the first Mothman sightings in Ohio and West Virginia…

Robocop and Peter Weller

Actor Peter Weller is coming to Columbus for two community events, hosted by the Humanities Institute and Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

Dr. Peter Weller is…

Humanities Institute MakerSpace
By Megan Moriarty

Announcing the return of the Humanities Institute Makerspace! On select afternoons this semester, The entryway of Hagerty Hall and the adjacent 198 suite will serve as a free, self-led drop-in art…

Humanities on Tap

In the winter of 2026, The Ohio State Humanities Institute launched Humanities on Tap (HoT), a monthly series of community events that bring the humanities to life across Columbus…

People Directory

Program Director, Asian American Studies; Associate Professor, Department of English
Associate Director, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Assistant Professor, French and Italian
Metaphors of Reception, Reception as Metaphor Working Group Leader; Associate Professor, Department of Classics
Director, Melton Center for Jewish Studies, Associate Professor, Department of Dance