Mission

Have a look at our logo. What do you see? A book, a door, a shield?

At the RPW Center, we believe in the importance of multiple viewpoints and interpretations. We also believe that humanistic study, conversation, and engagement lead to the kind of unconventional thinking and unexpected discoveries our world desperately needs.

Established in 1988, the Center supports interdisciplinary scholarship and research in all of its forms. All those interested in humanities-based inquiry and action are welcome: faculty of all ranks, graduate students, undergraduate students, staff, and members of the Middle Tennessee community (and beyond). Through our shared activities and goodwill, we work to advocate for and protect the importance of the humanities in a thoughtful and democratic society.

Housed in a beautifully restored Victorian home in the central part of campus, the RPW Center serves as a hub of intellectual activity through faculty and graduate student fellowship programs, the annual Harry C. Howard Jr. Lecture, seminars and reading groups, conferences, course offerings, programs and events exploring an extraordinary range of topics.