Utilitarianism: creative thinking

Anastasia De Waal, 5 December 2010

The value of the humanities in this country has long been under-represented in public discourse. Never has this deficit been more evident than in last month’s Browne report, which saw the removal of the teaching budget for arts and humanities subjects, writes Aoife O’Donnell.

Arts and humanities subjects play an essential role in equipping graduates with the analytical and communications skills needed for today’s knowledge-driven economy, – far from being ephemeral, thereby fostering the necessary conditions for economic growth. The creative industries, one area arts and humanities currently feed into, account for £16.6bn in exports and contribute almost £60bn to the economy. Even in these difficult economic times, this sector is set to grow at more than double the rate of the rest of the economy; and, crucially, at a much faster rate than international competitors.

What is more, arts and humanities researchers are increasingly playing a larger role in innovation. There has been a tangible increase in research, both inside and outside academia, in investigating large and multifaceted problems which often involves collaborating with scientists to tackle complex societal issues. To give an example, an AHRC Research Grant is currently supporting an interdisciplinary project at the University of Ulster, in which strong materials are being developed, potentially transforming the construction industry. This particular project aims to channel technical expertise, which has been put to use in aerospace engineering, towards a creative impetus that will help push the UK woven textile industry into the global playing field by producing radical, new high-quality products.

At a time when the UK is facing major challenges to the economy, quality of life, the environment and security, the arts and humanities can make a decisive contribution in all these areas. Meeting these challenges requires innovative and creative ways of thinking and processes of knowledge generation, transfer and exchange that are often intrinsic to the arts and humanities – and that’s the ‘luxuries’ of matters such as cultural enrichment, or the ability to make sense of the changing attitudes, discourses and values at work in the world around us, aside.