Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere

Floridians have an extensive relationship with water. From the food we eat, to our favorite pastimes, to the industries that flourish here, to our changing and diverse population, Florida’s most significant issues are tied to water. Through an introduction to how various humanities disciplines study water, Humanities and the Sunshine State: Florida Water Stories explores contemporary political topics such as tourism, food justice, aquifer sustainability, industrial growth, and race relations.

Through practicing methods of humanities research — archival study, oral history, digital curation, archaeological excavation, ethical critique, and textual interpretation — students will learn what the humanities do, and how the lessons they generate build an informed citizenry. Through engaging and hands-on activities, participants explore how water has shaped the past and present of Florida, and how our interactions with water today will shape the future of our state.

Participants interact with expert faculty, staff, and graduate students from the University of Florida, Santa Fe College, and local cultural organizations to explore how theoretical ideas and methods from the humanities disciplines (history, classics, archaeology, religion, literature, women’s studies, philosophy, and more) shape our practical experiences of Florida’s waters and vice versa. Students reside in the Hume Hall Honors College dormitory and enjoy an authentic college experience and social events at the University of Florida.

For more information and to apply to Florida’s Water Stories, visit their website. 

Watch highlights from the 2017 Student Program!

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