NRC Handelsblad published a special on the situation of humanities at Dutch Universities. I think it's pretty much indicative for the situation of the humanities in general. Especially the study of languages and language sciences are under threat.
My contribution to the special focuses on the language studies. I argue that it's risky to let the survival of modern languages at universities depend on the capricious choices made by 18-year adolescents. Already at high school, students should be taught that a language study is a scholarly discipline rather than a language course.
Here's a vivid discussion on my contribution (in Dutch, but Google Translate does a fair job translating it in incorrect but comprehensible English).
My contribution to the special focuses on the language studies. I argue that it's risky to let the survival of modern languages at universities depend on the capricious choices made by 18-year adolescents. Already at high school, students should be taught that a language study is a scholarly discipline rather than a language course.
Here's a vivid discussion on my contribution (in Dutch, but Google Translate does a fair job translating it in incorrect but comprehensible English).
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