Humanisms and Beyond: Past, Present, and Future of the Humanities

Tuesday, 27 Feb 2024 at 6:00 pm – 2630 Memorial Union

The humanities are often criticized as irrelevant or in decline, but defenders of the humanities contend they remain essential to fully understanding our modern world. Dr. Fabrizio Conti’s lecture will contextualize the humanities in the history of education in the Western world. This will help students better understand how the humanities can benefit them, now and in the future, even (or especially) at a “university of science and technology.”Fabrizio Conti received a dual Ph.D. in History and Medieval Studies from the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary. He is a graduate in the Humanities (History) from the University of Rome “La Sapienza,” and has earned certificates from the Pontifical Institute for Christian Archaeology in Rome and the School of the Vatican Secret Archive.Professor Conti arrived at John Cabot University in 2016. His teaching and research interests span the Antique/Late Antique, Medieval, and Renaissance periods, with an interdisciplinary approach to cultural and religious developments, with special focus on the history of magic and witchcraft. Professor Conti has worked in the catacombs of Rome as a docent and in the Vatican Secret Archive as an archivist. This lecture has been recorded and available for viewing on the Available Recordings page.
The humanities are often criticized as irrelevant or in decline, but defenders of the humanities contend they remain essential to fully understanding our modern world. Dr. Fabrizio Conti’s lecture will contextualize the humanities in the history of education in the Western world. This will help students better understand how the humanities can benefit them, now and in the future, even (or especially) at a “university of science and technology.”Fabrizio Conti received a dual Ph.D. in History and Medieval Studies from the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary. He is a graduate in the Humanities (History) from the University of Rome “La Sapienza,” and has earned certificates from the Pontifical Institute for Christian Archaeology in Rome and the School of the Vatican Secret Archive.Professor Conti arrived at John Cabot University in 2016. His teaching and research interests span the Antique/Late Antique, Medieval, and Renaissance periods, with an interdisciplinary approach to cultural and religious developments, with special focus on the history of magic and witchcraft. Professor Conti has worked in the catacombs of Rome as a docent and in the Vatican Secret Archive as an archivist. This lecture has been recorded and available for viewing on the Available Recordings page.

Stay for the entire event, including the brief question-and-answer session that follows the formal presentation. Most events run 75 minutes.

Sign-ins are after the event concludes. For lectures in the Memorial Union, go to the information desk in the Main Lounge. In other academic buildings, look for signage outside the auditorium.

Lecture Etiquette

  • Stay for the entire lecture and the brief audience Q&A. If a student needs to leave early, he or she should sit near the back and exit discreetly.
  • Do not bring food or uncovered drinks into the lecture.
  • Check with Lectures staff before taking photographs or recording any portion of the event. There are often restrictions. Cell phones, tablets and laptops may be used to take notes or for class assignments.
  • Keep questions or comments brief and concise to allow as many as possible.