Being Human

Jeff Williams is a professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University. Professor Williams’ work focuses on the politics of literature and criticism, particularly institutions that produce culture like universities and academic journals. In his writing, he frequently takes a step back from arguments about the political or social value of intellectual work and examines them from a practical standpoint. In many of his essays since the early 90’s, he has called attention to the danger of student debt, and contrasted this danger with the freedom and possibility promised by an education in the liberal arts. Likewise, many of his essays about literary theory have shown how theory has been shaped by academic settings and the inevitable politics that come with tenure and promotion. Professor Williams has also been deeply committed to reaching a broad general public with his scholarly work. Along with publishing in academic journals, he also publishes frequently in places like the Chronicle of Higher Education and Salo