Dean Tyrus Miller
Dean of the School of Humanities and Professor of English and Art History
Interests: 20th- and 21st-Century British, Critical Theory
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Art History
Comparative Literature
English
Visual Studies
Blossoms are blooming and spring is here. It’s the perfect time to visit the UCI School of Humanities outdoor museum that weaves through the corridors of its corner of campus. 21 light poles are adorned with banners featuring unique illustrations of significant historical moments that the humanities help us understand.
The diverse display features global art, literary, film, television and social history achievements ranging from the first summer blockbuster in the movie industry to the genesis of Chaucer’s writing of The Canterbury Tales and from the construction of the first transcontinental railroad tracks in the U.S. to the start of the Salvadoran revolution.
Each banner features a QR code that links visitors to a website with explanations about how the moment impacted history from the faculty member who selected it.
“‘Humanities: It’s Time’ reflects how humans across cultures, geography and time have responded to social conflict and change with innovative literature, film, architecture, social movements, and industries that influence the course of history,” said Tyrus Miller, dean of the School of Humanities. “Our historical 'hot takes' are not just celebratory, though—each moment is complex and layered, and some even proved devastating in their ultimate outcome. But that too is a key point of the ‘Humanities: It's Time’ display. In the humanities, we bravely face what it is to be human across time; only by confronting and critically interpreting our legacies can we guide ourselves to brighter futures.”
