Humanities

High-rise under construction rising above cityscape
Rising rents and housing shortages are changing how families live together.
Marching protesters holding signs
With critical conversations under attack, how can Canadian universities serve communities?
Headshot of Vince Hopkins framed against the North Shore mountains
Why do people who are eligible for public benefits not take advantage of them?
Woman wears VR headset and gloves as another woman watches
Psychology and computer science students are advancing brain injury rehabilitation.
A signboard in multiple languages with directions to voting station
For almost 250 years, the US never had an official language — until March 1, 2025.
Woman's hands on smartphone displaying stock market graphics
High net-worth investors aren’t only choosing stocks for financial reasons.
Asian woman and man in evening wear lean into a kiss
Romance is in the air — and on the page.
Woman holds wildfire protest sign at Canada's Parliament Hill
With Trump undoing US climate policies, Canada’s climate commitments come into question.
Composite image showing the covers of the books recommended by the eight scholars, in a repeating pattern
Celebrate Black voices and stories with these recommended reads from Black scholars at UBC.
Protestors holding signs and displaying Pride rainbows
DEI backlash reveals tensions in how people see themselves and their place in society.
Person typing on laptop with glowing symbols overlaid on image
Lawyers will have to tackle significant opportunities and risks related to AI tools.
Stressed-out guy on couch looks away from man staring out window
Sexual inconsistency reflects the complex lived realities of human sexuality.
Group of people in an office having a meeting at a table
Could backlash against diversity lead to learning, growth, and allyship?
Woman in sunglasses jumping into air in front of wall
Happiness from spending varies significantly between high- and lower-income nations.
At demonstration, protestor holds sign in Spanish that says "­¡Justicia!"
Nations across the region are grappling with profound political challenges.
Donald and Melania Trump in a lobby
Trump is openly challenging the very idea of Canadian sovereignty.
President Donald Trump with Pete Hegseth speak into microphone
Research may explain why so many of Trump’s cabinet picks are accused of sexual abuse.
Two Haíɫzaqvḷa letters
What challenges do Indigenous people face when typing in their languages?
Girl in pink outfit wades through flood water in Haiti
Climate change impacts women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals most acutely.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Question Period in Ottawa
Trudeau perpetuates narratives about Canada’s immigrant, education, and asylum systems.
Two male gladiators battle with swords in arena
Two UBC experts discuss how the real world of Roman gladiators compares with the movies.
Vice President Kamala Harris ascends stairs at vice president’s residence
Refusing to accept political defeat has dangerous consequences.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in front of US and Canadian flags
The US election could radically reshape both domestic and international landscapes.
Burnt remnants of house and landscape destroyed by wildfire
As the climate crisis accelerates, will today’s societies be able to adapt?
Building framework under construction
Housing will be a key issue for BC voters in the provincial election.
A robotic arm slips a ballot into a slot
Here's why we should be vigilant, but not fatalistic.
Kamala Harris shakes hands with Donald Trump
Of the two politicians on the stage in Philadelphia, Harris faced the steeper challenge.
A stylized image of a circuit board with the glowing outline of a padlock in the centre
Ensuring Indigenous data sovereignty is crucial to truth and reconciliation in Canada.
Two women and man eating from a plate with chopsticks
Food has the remarkable ability to bring people together and create a sense of connection.
Kamala Harris waves to crowd from podium in front of US flag
There’s a reason why many Black women have been the first in their positions.
A crowd of people wave Canadian flags
A UBC Okanagan professor shares early findings from her new study.
Collage of speakers' faces in TED Talk red
Meet five stellar researchers who will change how you think about nearly everything.
Donald Trump in front of U.S. flags and airplane
Anyone convicted of a crime is inadmissible to Canada, but Donald Trump may be an exception.
Canadian flag flies before Parliament building
Canadians are experiencing a worsening crisis of trust.
Woman looks into empty wallet, with papers and calculator on floor
A basic income could boost global gross domestic product (GDP) by about 130 per cent.
Circle of people in traditional Haida robes in front of building
An agreement between the Haida Nation and the BC government marks a first in Canada.
Asian woman holding a book stands in front of a building
Learning about past wrongs can help us better fight racism in the future.
Protesters holding signs in front of San Francisco city hall
Why do sexual assault perpetrators escape consequences while accusers face backlash?
Bison standing on grass
Canada is wasting scarce resources conserving species that are not endangered elsewhere.
Five students sitting at a table next to wall with mural
Canadian higher education is deeply dependent on international student tuition.
Words written on two hands held in the air at protest
One underappreciated impact of global heating is its influence on language itself.
AI image of woman wearing VR goggles with images swirling around head
A first-of-its-kind study that links aversion to AI art with speciesism and anthropocentrism.
Two students in a class building
UBC’s School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture (SALA) co-leads exhibit highlighting
Man walks in front of screen and behind Google logo
Recent events have marked a powerful inflection point in Canadian journalism.
Six women on graduation stage in university regalia
Nsyilxcn Language Fluency students embraced the opportunity of a lifetime.
Robot reading book in front of chalkboard
Rather than fearing AI, some UBC professors integrating it into their courses.
Wide-angle shot of the main exhibit space at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre
A new space in Vancouver’s Chinatown is enabling inclusive — and transformative — storytelling.
A UBC student waters a garden outside the Museum of Vancouver on a sunny day
How UBC ACRE is centering the voices, experiences, and expertise of Asian Canadian communities.
Speaker Dr. Azim Shariff stands on stage before audience in front of a TED sign
People attach moral value to hard work — Dr. Azim Shariff calls it “effort moralization.”
Hogwarts Legacy game displayed on smartphone beside game controller
Online debates arose about anti-Semitic imagery and content in this Harry Potter game.
Silhouettes of two men with toddler in front of sunrise
The emerging image of North American gay dads as white, affluent men is inaccurate.
Woman in hat and coat turned sideways smiles on steps in black-and-white photo
Winnifred Eaton was the first Asian and first woman to head a Hollywood script department.
Children sitting on floor in classroom, with some holding their hands up
This study points out that previous research only considered the education of fathers.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with King Charles
As long as our colonial tie is retained, Canada’s head of state cannot be a Canadian.
The back of a human and a hologram of a robot, with both staring at a screen with projected text

A UBC psychology professor finds out the hard way.

Illustration of a purple magnifying glass against a purple book
A new study by a UBC prof examines the power of language history for language learners.
a collage showing a can of tomato sauce being poured over a landscape on Mars

Two food security experts explore how the first Mars colonists might feed themselves.

Black girl browsing through books on shelves
Two professors discuss how language impacts the development of stereotypes.
African women in shawls carrying empty containers queue up in desert
Poverty and inequality have resulted in unequal access to the Earth’s bounty.
Human left hand beside a robotic right hand
AI–generated text will soon be indistinguishable from that written by a person.
Reporters holding microphones and recorders near person speaking
A new group of vital contributors are shaping what journalism could and should do.
Women in red robes and white bonnets pray on steps in The Handmaid's Tale
Writers have explored how abortion becomes entangled with how we shape the future.
A photograph of Vancouver taken from a helicopter above the Stanley Park area. It shows West Georgia Street, with False Creek and Science World at the end, and East Vancouver in the background.

There may be no such thing, but Vancouver has shown the world an admirable model.

Illustration of people enjoying a public park, with a city in the background

Communities are shaping their public spaces into social places.

An illustration of cities enclosed in bubbles
UBC researchers are helping us imagine a city where people feel more connected.
A woman sits looking out of a window at trees
Trees and green spaces are an antidote for the stressors of modern life.
Photo of Sonja Thoma sitting on the beach.

Linguist Sonja Thoma is supporting the revitalization of Indigenous languages.

Journalist Anastasiia Lapatina in Ukraine
A 20-year-old political science student has been covering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
demonstration against Russian invasion of Ukraine
Despite offering essential skills, the humanities are feared to be in a “crisis.”
Vladimir Putin
Here’s a look at whether Putin can be removed from power and, if so, by what means.
Six LGBTQ+ books by UBC–related authors
Read all about queer experiences in these new books by UBC faculty and alumni.
Illustration of a group of Black youth seated at a table and working on a puzzle together

BC’s Black community is unique in Canada.

A black and white headshot of Denzel Washington from the film "The Tragedy of MacBeth"
There is a deep irony when it comes to Shakespeare and Black people.
Inside spread of William Shakespeare's First Folio showing an illustration of the author
This extremely rare book was published in 1623, seven years after the playwright’s death.
Red and cedar Aboriginal carving for the truth and reconciliation commission.
“Without truth … there can be no genuine reconciliation.”
"Bacchanal of the Andrians" by Titian
Dr. Edward Slingerland explores the age-old allure of alcohol in his new book Drunk.
Headshot of Sandra Fox
Fox received a Governor General’s Gold Medal for her research on Indigenous identity.
People walking down a hallway. Graphics with copy overlaid over image, with statements like "Are you okay?" and "What's going on?"
You can do more than you might think.
Three students walking outside on UBC Vancouver campus.
UBC students find ways to tackle global issues despite pandemic.
Overhead shot of a person taking a lie detector test
A UBC Okanagan researcher says that lies can infiltrate a person’s memory for the truth.
Alison Conway
Here’s how UBC Okanagan women are working towards a world of equal opportunity.
Women feel better when they work with other women
#Metoo brought sexual harassment experienced by women in workplaces to the fore.
Loujain al-Hathloul before her arrest
This alum, Saudi activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee has not finished her fight for freedom.
The Monument to the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Credit: Jorge Láscar/Flickr
A UBC law professor is now arguing that China itself is a human rights activist.
SyrianApp
App walks through the experiences of Syrian refugees to gain more understanding of their lives.
Illustration: Federico Gastaldi
In a post-COVID world, UBC legal research may help explore a once-unexamined Canada-US border.
Illustration by Gracia Lam
Danny Ramadan, MFA’20, is an award-winning novelist, speaker, and LGBTQ-refugee activist.
Illustration: Fernando Volken Togni
UBC’s Global Reporting Centre steps away from typical "parachute journalism" to empower locals.
Illustration: DAQ
Global sociologist uncovers the forces at play behind land dispossession in Latin America.
The Lee family sitting down for dinner. Albert Lee, Saint Mary’s University, Gorsebrook Research Institute, GRI_134 (1958)
A new exhibit on Chinese immigration and BC highlights belonging, racism, and resilience.