The Humanities field typically displays two drastically different postures: A "state of crisis" or "uncharted enlightenment." Humanities are withering as universities are abolishing and reducing liberal arts courses to make a mom for job-friendly departments. On the other hand, special courses run by various institutions out-side universities, have been a 'hot trend.' People from all ages respond to the lectures which have been highly diversified. Many specialists in business and science fields are adopting multidisciplinary approaches in Humanities. CP covers this ironic situation deeply.

1. Crisis in the Humanities in University

Neoliberalism in Society, Competitiveness in University 

    Competition, efficiency and practicality are the central values of neoliberalism in society. It is clear that it is almost impossible for universities to curb the of neoliberal value. More and more universities are allowing enterprises to take part in management for the purpose of enhancing competitiveness.

    Chung-Ang University (CAU), run by the Doosan Corporation, decided to integrate 77 of its departments into 47. "The changes are necessary to strengthen the school's competitiveness," said CAU president Park Beom-hoon. Two students of CAU protested; demanding the school drop its plan to carry out restructuring programs while on top of a crane installed ac a construction site on campus. Severe disciplinary action was taken and the university's plan carried out. Konkuk University also integrated some departments in 2008. Students whose departments were restructured gathered signatures and staged a demonstration, but their efforts ended in failure. The abolition of departments took place in Kyoung-won University. Dungkuk University, Dan-kook University, and Daegu Catholic University. Integrated or abolished departments were all foreign language departments in the college of Liberal Arts.
    Students tend to choose professional programs over the humanities. Sciences have the most authority and get the most funding. Students prefer Business Administration or Economics departments which are ranked high among the desired courses. This is nor important for high school students seeking a Potential major. Even undergraduates who had already decided their majors expressed their need to pursue joint degrees in Business departments. "Even though I haven't decided on my career yet, to get a job, getting a degree in business is realistically essential," said one of the students taking courses for joint honors. Must of them wanted to secure positions at corporations after graduating university. 
    University across the country have recently focused on providing on-site practice-based education through cooperating with private industry. This is designed to tackle the Problem of unemployment among young people. This might be one possible solution. One of the problems facing many universities in Korea is to put a high value on efficiency. But we need diversify co strengthen competition. Otherwise, the crisis in Humanities will get worse.

Research is Broken Down and Humanities' Spirits Getting Clouded. 

    "As researches have been fractionized since 1970s, professors who are only absorbed in his or her field have not been able to be public teachers and they've made Humanities' spirits dull," said Do Jeung-il, emeritus professor of Kyunghee University. In addition, there are factors to condider such as a surplus of Ph.Ds, a skeptical public, a sense of uncertainty as to mission, and a decline in available money.

2. Off-campus Humanities Lectures are Flourishing 

Humanities Lectures outside Universities 

    Since 2000, some humanists have tried to launch humanities lectures outside universities, 'Philosophy Academy' and 'Sooyooneomeo' are examples of this trend and are called 'alternative place of university.' The audiences are various ranging from housewives co the homeless. They soon became popular and the number of students has incredibly increased in the last five years. More institutions have come out to join this project and most lectures have been fully packed. 
    Following this trend, special humanities lectures targeted for ordinary citizens were prepared. "It is one of core programs in College of Liberal Arts. About 200 attendees are fairly satisfied and some of them will register again for the next program," said Kim Mi-ra, a staff of Humanities Forum in Chungnam National University. 

A New Wind of Humanities Blowing in the Business World 

     Kim Joong-kyum, a CEO of Hyundai Construction Company, has made an effort to offer humanities education to employees. He, himself, look lectures from many institutions. Hyundai also seeks to broaden its recruiting scheme. "10~15% of new employees majored in Humanities in this year. Only three years ago, Hyundai construction didn't hire graduates from Liberal Arts majors," said Park Won-chul, a d director of Hyundai Construction Company. 
    Lotte Department Store has collaborated with Seoul National University (SNU) in preceding some humanities programs for directors (AFP0. One of AFP graduates said "Although tuition fee was over 10 million a half a year, competition for entry was over 3 to 1. Studying humanities became increasingly a kind of trend to CEOs. A CEO wants, to apply what they have learned to running a business." Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI) has conducted Humanities programs for executives.

3. Humanities is Precarious, but It is Precious 

Commercial Viability Spoils the Spirits of humanities 

    Many scholars worry that Humanities can spoil fundamental spirits due to commercial viability in flourishing of off-campus lectures. The 'Humanists Symposium un Humanities Syndrome' was held on March 2011. "Reckless spending of Humanities is emerging as one of serious problems in these days," said Chol Jin-seok, a scholar Sooyouneomeo. " It falls into just one method for high school seniors' essay tests, a frigid education with nominal creative management planning for CEO, and general culture for a well-off person," insisted Jeong jeong-hoon, a scholar of Sooyouneomeo. 
    Humanities lectures are incredibly popular to individuals outside campus. A lot of hooks about it are continuously ranked at the highest of selling list. However, this flourishing phenomenon is not always good. Its true value such as the deep consideration of humankind and objects is fading gradually away, and then only measures for other fields are left. In other words, ordinary people can read books titled Humanities as just one general way to learn liberal culture.

  Efforts to Boost its Fundamental Value 

    Kyunghee University plans to bolster the education of the liberal arts and invite internationally-renowned scholars in the field. With the aim to revive humanities, it established [he "Humanities College" in 2010. Choue In-won, a president of Kyunghee University, said, "Pragmatic and vocational specialists and knowledge are necessary, but they are simply not enough. Students who have cultivated creativeness and the ability to think critically through humanities studies are increasingly favored by corporate recruitment officers. In addition, Pragmatic and liberal arts education do not conflict, but complement each other.: He added, "For sustainable economic growth, we need the solid, underpinning foundation of humanities." Kyunghee Univ. offers internet classes, so not only students, but ordinary citizens also can have free access. Humanitas College is expected to play a key role in reviving the public's awareness of the importance of the study of humanities. 
    Like the example of Kyunghee University, a lot of specialists are emphasizing the value of Humanities; saying that we have to start looking at objects themselves rather than through quantitative analysis. Without studying human condition itself deeply, living conditions for human can't be analyzed, understood, and improved. 
    Thus, the government should establish foundations in the mold of America's National Education for the Humanities and Britain's Art & Humanities Research Council. Developed countries with strong fields in culture, Politics, and diplomacy have been supporting and promoting the study of the humanities by establishing government funded foundations and institutions for a long time. 

By Kim Rang Editor-in-chief
diana@cnu.ac.kr