This article first appeared on Planet Detroit and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
The University of Michigan (U-M) has received a grant of nearly $4 million from the Mellon Foundation to establish the Environmental Justice + Humanities Hub. This initiative aims to integrate humanities disciplines—such as history, literature, anthropology, and philosophy—into environmental justice education and training. The goal is to address disparities in access to clean air, water, and other environmental resources.
Kyle Whyte, a professor at U-M’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and the founding faculty director of the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment, is the principal investigator for this grant. He emphasized the importance of humanities in understanding the emotional and cultural significance of environmental issues.
“Humanities fields…can uplift why the environment matters at emotional and cultural levels,” Whyte said in a statement. He also noted that these disciplines highlight community-based solutions, facilitating democratic processes and collaboration.
The development of the Environmental Justice + Humanities Hub involved collaboration among various U-M entities, including SEAS, the Program in the Environment, the Office of the Provost, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Barbra Meek, LSA associate dean for the social sciences, expressed that the program would enable undergraduate students to adopt a humanistic approach in exploring human-environment interactions.
“This will be a transformative experience for all involved and shows our commitment to sustainability and environmental justice,” she said.
The hub represents a pioneering effort in higher education to harness the transformative potential of the humanities in advancing community-based environmental justice. It reflects shared values between U-M and the Mellon Foundation, building upon the university’s history and ambitions in this field.
Environmental justice advocates for equitable access to a healthy environment, ensuring that no community bears disproportionate burdens from pollution, climate change, or other environmental challenges. The establishment of this hub signifies U-M’s dedication to addressing these issues through interdisciplinary education and community engagement.