Countering the perception that the humanities are unessential, this volume contends that their well-being has not only academic but also cultural, political, and existential ramifications. Our technologically-driven world possesses the means of its own destruction, while economic and financial policies undermine the very existence of our democracy. At the same time, the postmodern and post-human age fundamentally challenges our ability and legitimacy to conceive future ideals. It is within this context that the humanities provide essential paths through which the teaching and knowledge of other academic fields such as STEM and economics must be re-envisioned. In short, the humanities must be brought back to the center of academic life. The political and pedagogical implications of this interdisciplinary study thus entail a renewed critique to rethink the relation between higher education, society, and the world at large (politically, economically, scientifically, and technologically) and the importance of the humanities within it. At the heart of this reconsideration, the humanities' and humanity's fate and future become one.

Countering the perception that the humanities are unessential, this volume contends that their well-being has not only academic but also cultural, political, and existential ramifications. Our technologically-driven world possesses the means of its own destruction, while economic and financial policies undermine the very existence of our democracy. At the same time, the postmodern and post-human age fundamentally challenges our ability and legitimacy to conceive future ideals. It is within this context that the humanities provide essential paths through which the teaching and knowledge of other academic fields such as STEM and economics must be re-envisioned. In short, the humanities must be brought back to the center of academic life. The political and pedagogical implications of this interdisciplinary study thus entail a renewed critique to rethink the relation between higher education, society, and the world at large (politically, economically, scientifically, and technologically) and the importance of the humanities within it. At the heart of this reconsideration, the humanities' and humanity's fate and future become one.

A major contention of French-American Relations is that the American experience during WWII illustrates "the decency of the American people" (Abraham Lincoln), and gives meaning to the special bond that exists between the two nations. The book points to the differences that exist on both sides of the Atlantic, but also to the common heritage, history, and values that both people share. Its main thesis is that revisiting the experiences at Normandy enables readers to question and envision the paths both nations must take in a post-September 11 world. Professor Touya de Marenne's reflection unfolds through a series of dialogues with American and French veterans who were actively involved in the liberation of France and the defeat of fascism in Europe in 1944 1945. Exploring this relation in the context of current issues (the dialogue among cultures, the challenges of globalization and terrorism, the fate of democracy and civilization, and the path toward peace in the world), this study provides a balanced view and perpetuates the long debate that two of the oldest modern democracies have pursued for over two hundred years.