Simpson Professorship in the Public Humanities 2004-2007

Katharyne Mitchell (Geography) was awarded the first-ever Simpson Professorshipin the Public Humanities in 2004. This newly-created term professorship, the first of its kind in the nation, was made possible through the generosity of Barclay Simpson. We hope that it will become a model for other universities nationwide. The Simpson Professorship honors a senior faculty member whose research over the three-year term. It has at its core a key dimension in the public humanities, one that links the University of Washington with the greater Puget Sound community. The award carries released time from teaching to pursue research and work with institutions and publics in the Seattle area. It also provides substantial resources for developing programs in the community.

Mitchell is working on a general-audience book (Stealing Childhood) and documentary on the subject of Reclaiming Childhood. A geographer by training, she has a national and international reputation in the interdisciplinary fields of transnational migration, urban development, and educational philosophy. In her tenure as Simpson Professor, Professor Mitchell will be exploring what she sees as a far-reaching transformation of childhood in the United States today. As a geographer she will be looking at the spaces and sites through which childhood is experienced, with a particular focus on schools. She will be investigating how global competition, public divestment, and heightened fears of domestic and foreign violence are affecting institutions and individuals. Her plans include collaborations with faculty from other disciplines as well as with K-12 teachers and students.