Crisis? Which Crisis? The Humanities Reloaded

This article looks at crisis of the humanities narratives in the context of neoliberal capitalism and of the emergence and consolidation of the metrics-driven, corporate, managerial university. It does however question whether the narratives about the crisis of the humanities that have circulated for some time now tell the whole story. Do narratives of the crisis of the humanities mobilize specific notions of value and prestige? Are these notions classed, gendered and racialized? How do narratives of the crisis of the humanities relate to current debates and contestations surrounding decolonization? Does the crisis of a traditional configuration of the humanities open up opportunities to use their institutional space for work that is both socially and politically relevant and academically rigorous? These are some of the issues addressed by this article and special issue. The aim is to provide a counter narrative of the present and future of the humanities.