The Institute for the Humanities at the University of Illinois Chicago seeks to foster an intellectually vital, interdisciplinary community of scholars working at one of the nation’s most exciting urban research centers. As the hub of humanities scholarship on campus, the Institute provides a forum for intellectual exchange among faculty and students at UIC and other colleges and universities in the region. At its base, the Institute for the Humanities highlights the importance of public higher education. It provides a space for vigorous debate and exchange, so crucial in a democratic society.

The UIC Institute for the Humanities celebrated its forty years of operation in 2022. It is one of the oldest humanities centers in the United States. Over the years, the Institute has become the major hub for all humanities activities on campus, creating an intellectual space in which faculty and graduate students can broaden their perspectives, conduct original research, and engage with scholars and communities both in and outside the university.