The VCU Humanities Research Center advances humanistic inquiry, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and amplifies the impact of humanities scholarship within and beyond VCU. As a university-wide center, we support individual and collaborative research while cultivating scholarly excellence dedicated to improving the human condition.
The HRC is interdisciplinary, collaborative, global, and public-facing—generating knowledge across disciplines, promoting impactful research by diverse faculty, students, and community partners, engaging colleagues and institutions worldwide, and disseminating scholarship through talks, colloquia, and strategic outreach. Our work directly supports VCU's Quest 2028 priorities: research excellence, student success, and thriving communities.
We invite you to get in touch with us about our research, events, opportunities, and more!
Research
We support research that crosses traditional boundaries, connecting literature, history, philosophy, and cultural studies with contemporary issues and emerging fields.
Programs
Through lectures, workshops, and symposia, we share cutting-edge humanities research with broader audiences and foster intellectual dialogue.
Resources
Our center bridges academic research with community needs, creating meaningful partnerships that benefit both scholars and the Richmond metropolitan area.
Year in Review, 2024-2025
- 36 Publications Supported
- 26 Public Lectures
- 38 External Grants Submitted
News
Sept. 29, 2025
VCU’s second annual Humanities Week will highlight their transformative power for real-world challenges
Hosted by the Humanities Research Center, the Oct. 20-24 program includes public sessions on careers, artificial intelligence and more.
April 24, 2025
Undergraduates flex their comics creativity in VCU’s Graphic Narratives Lab
The initial cohort of students explores visual storytelling and scholarship.
April 21, 2025
Mellon Foundation grant will support launch of Indigenous Humanities Lab at VCU
Through a partnership of the Humanities Research Center and the College of Humanities and Sciences, Cristina Stanciu and Catherine Ingrassia are expanding the university’s focus on Native programs.
Event Spotlight
From The Wiz to Wakanda: Afrofuturism in Pop Culture
Meet VCU Authors Fall 2025
The speaker for this event was Grace Gipson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of African American Studies at VCU and author of From The Wiz to Wakanda: Afrofuturism in Pop Culture.
On Native Ground Series: Transborder Nahua Futurisms
Federico Cuatlacuatl
The speaker for this event was Federico Cuatlacuatl, Associate Professor in the Department of Art at the University of Virginia.