[Commlist] cfp: Critical Thinking, Soft Skills, and Technology.

CFP: 19th conference NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE HUMANITIES: Critical 
Thinking, Soft Skills, and Technology.
30 June-2 July 2021
Organizers: New Directions in the Humanities Research Network & 
Complutense University (Madrid, Spain).

Contact: David Alonso, davalonso [at] ghis [dot] ucm [dot] es

Since the internet revolutionized access to information and storage 
capacity in the 1990s, networks, databases, publishing and access to all 
kinds of news and scientific research have proliferated. The 
international circulation of non-face-to-face training programs for 
different professions and the better relations between scientific 
communities around the world are, without a doubt, something positive. 
The impact of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence has yet to be felt in 
many areas. These changes have been facilitated by the increased 
capacity of mobile phones and tablets that facilitate numerous 
interactive spaces for entertainment, communication and education. 
However, technology alone, far from increasing culture and knowledge, 
provides us with superficial, lax and indiscriminate information, where 
the capacity for reflection and critical thinking are diminished.
The knowledge provided by the Humanities and their insertion in an 
education based on key competences must play a fundamental role to 
promote a reflective and conscientious citizenship in the face of the 
new challenges of our globalized, changing societies and the important 
crises our world faces. The environments of Vulnerability, Uncertainty, 
Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) that define our current context require 
a type of holistic knowledge that takes into consideration a global 
vision of the world, in all its dimensions, including the basic 
knowledge provided by the different fields of knowledge provided by 
History, Art, Philosophy or Literature. A critical and truthful vision 
is increasingly necessary to counteract elements such as infoxication or 
"fake news", derived from the absence, in many cases, of the type of 
training to be addressed among the topics to be discussed in this 
conference.
The 19th conference NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE HUMANITIES will focus 
precisely on the role of critical thinking and the so-called "soft 
skills" that come from the field of Humanities and which play a 
fundamental role to place technology in an authentically human context 
that ensures the interests of our societies and the future of humanity. 
The transfer to educational frameworks will also be treated as an 
inherent formula for the enrichment of democratic and responsible 
societies. Likewise, the impact of the 4.0 revolution for the generation 
of critical thinking and the role of transversal skills treated from the 
perspective of humanistic thought and its translation to the educational 
sphere will be one of the key aspects in this conference.
To support the range of options, and flexibility needed in our current 
climate, we will offer a blended conference experience. You do not need 
to commit either to a place-based or virtual presentation at the time of 
submission. You can present both ways or change your mode of the 
presentation if your preferences change. The choice to participate 
virtually could also be a moral decision – for the planet, for security, 
or when the financial burden of travel is too great. We aim to foster 
spaces that align with principles of social justice and community 
development.
We also want to be ready for the possibility of place-based postponement 
due to COVID-19. If we are forced to postpone, the online engagement 
will still go ahead, and your registration will allow you to join the 
conference in person in a later year.
This way we build for our Research Network Members flexible, and at the 
same time resilient, spaces for communication, engagement, and 
participation.

Proposal submission deadline: May 20, 2021
Accepted contributions: All proposals will be reviewed within two to 
four weeks after submission.
Languages: English, Spanish.

For updates, see: https://thehumanities.com/2021-conference 
<https://thehumanities.com/2021-conference>



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