From sustainability to decolonizing knowledge: U of T joins Global Humanities Alliance

The University of Toronto’s Nicole Klenk sees her role in the recently formed Global Humanities Alliance – which aims to enhance the global impact of the humanities and social sciences – as a natural extension of her research and teaching. 

An associate professor of environmental studies in the department of physical and environmental sciences at U of T Scarborough, Klenk bridges the gap between the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences by championing interdisciplinary projects in her courses. 

For example, she uses textile arts as a way for students to explore sustainability issues that arise from sectors such as fast fashion. 

“They spend an hour weaving textiles to imagine what it means to spend seven days a week, 12 hours a day as a child to make clothes that people use less than seven times before they throw out,” says Klenk. 

The alliance, formed earlier this year, brings together researchers from around the world with the aim of elevating the role of the humanities and social sciences in addressing critical global issues. It currently comprises four working groups: public humanities, sustainability and climate change, decolonizing knowledge and digital transformations. 

Its founding members – U of T, Ashoka University, Mahidol University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universitas Gadjah Mada, University of Manchester, University of Melbourne and University of Nairobi – signed a letter of intent in October at a launch event in Manchester, England.

The universities agreed to explore activities such as global classrooms, visiting fellowships, collaborative research projects and exchange programs for students and staff. 

Klenk, a textile artist who has explored teaching methods that blend experiential and arts-based learning throughout her career, says she hopes her involvement in the initiative allows her to expand her work on an international scale.

“What got me excited [about the alliance] is the ability to connect with others who value the role of the humanities and social sciences at an international level,” she says.  

Both Klenk and Sherry Lee, an associate professor of musicology in U of T’s Faculty of Music, serve on the sustainability and climate change working group. 

“Something we found in the conversations at the Manchester launch is that there are a lot of crossovers between the thematic working groups, and we expect a lot of exchange,” says Lee, whose research sits at the intersection of music, sound studies and environmental humanities. 

“You can’t have a responsible conversation about climate change in the global context without also thinking about decolonization.” 

Lee says students will benefit from the initiative through international collaboration, increased understanding of cultural differences and the opportunity to frame problems using different perspectives.

“This is sometimes a challenge – who do I collaborate with? How do I find people who are going to be interested in the kinds of issues that I want to bring forward in a classroom and who will be willing to participate? That’s precisely one of the things that is going to happen through this initiative,” says Lee. 

“I think that’s really exciting.”

She says she hopes the alliance inspires collaboration between future generations of scholars. 

“I hope it facilitates the entry of the students we are training into spheres where they can engage meaningfully on important global issues outside the academy,” she says. 

“I think the best way to do that is to involve them in an international conversation at the moment of their training, rather than to give them more conventional disciplinary training and hope that they're smart enough to stand out from among the crowd once they leave.”