Meaning Over Memory

In the midst of the heated battles swirling around American humanities education Peter Stearns offers a reconsideration not of <i>what</i> we teach but of why and how we teach it. A humanities program says Stearns should teach students not just memorized facts but analytical skills that are vital for a critically informed citizenry. He urges the use of innovative research as the basis of such a curriculum and he offers specific suggestions on translating curriculum goals into courses that can be taught alongside or instead of the more conventional staples.