Literature is Alive Celebrates the Humanities in its Annual Symposium
On March 15, the Department of English and Drama, along with the student-led group Literature Is Alive (LIA), presented the “Why Study Humanities Today? World-Building for Social Change” symposium. The ongoing theme of the symposium was to give insight into and celebrate how studying the humanities and combining it with other disciplines can enhance students’ careers and equip them with valuable advocacy skills.
LIA is a student-centred group co-founded by students and Dr. Julia Boyd that organizes events bringing students and staff together for “inspiring conversations about the practical career benefits, interdisciplinary applications, and real-world social and environmental impacts of studying English and writing in university,” according to the group’s About Us poster.
The events arranged by LIA range from Career Panels to lectures and arts and crafts social events featuring performances of student literary work. Since 2024, they have hosted various research symposiums for students to share their insights on themes like “Living Humanities” and “Building Worlds.”
One of these symposiums, which has since become annual, is the “Why Study Humanities Lightning Lecture,” which seeks to celebrate the vital contributions of the humanities to academic studies.
The event was marketed heavily by LIA and the Department of English & Drama through e-mails and posters encouraging students to present and attend. Additionally, a workshop was hosted beforehand to assist presenters prepare for their speeches and differentiate essays intended for speaking rather than writing.
