Why the humanities matter today

Historian and medievalist David Nirenberg joins José Maria Pimentel, creator and host of the 45 Graus podcast, for a conversation about the place of the humanities in contemporary society. On the day after the Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Study (GIAS) Inaugural Lecture, David Nirenberg will return to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for a public conversation on why the humanities matter today. The conversation will explore the relevance of the many forms of inquiry within the humanities at a time of rapid technological, political and cultural change, and will subsequently be made available on the 45 Graus podcast. The Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Study (GIAS) is an independent institute established in 2025 by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. It welcomes internationally renowned scholars, providing them with the time, space and intellectual freedom to pursue work of their own choosing for limited periods, in an environment dedicated to reflection, conversation and exchange across disciplines. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation reserves the right to collect and keep records of images, sounds and voice for the diffusion and preservation of the memory of its cultural and artistic activity. For further information, please contact us through the Information Request form.