About OCH

OCH Mission and Vision

OCH Mission

The Oregon Council for the Humanities seeks to improve the quality of life for Oregonians by providing programs that enrich minds and broaden perspectives, foster positive human relationships, encourage civility and good citizenship, and bring together the diverse peoples who make up our statewide culture.

In carrying out its mission, the Council works to:

• Promote understanding of the humanities and the role of thought and ideas in our lives.
• Support scholarship and discussion that address social, cultural, and public issues.
• Build community and connectedness among Oregonians.
• Reach Oregonians of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, in all areas of the state.
• Encourage the productive interaction between humanities scholars and the public.
• Advocate for a widening role for the humanities in public and private life.

OCH Vision (2008)

The Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) believes ideas change lives, communities, and the world. We believe that every person, regardless of education, race, class, gender and age, deserves the opportunity to participate in this transformative process and that in the presence of others our ideas become richer, more nuanced, even more profound. OCH believes in asking hard questions and allowing for the discomfort this can sometimes bring about. Such inquiry enables a deeper understanding of the world and translates into a better future for us all. Public conversation makes us better individuals, better neighbors, and better citizens of the world. We invite every Oregonian to join us in this venture.

• We offer opportunities for civic dialogue and humanities learning to all Oregonians, including those who might not otherwise have access.
• We strive to be responsive to timely issues and concerns in communities across Oregon.
• We seek to provide a broad context for every dialogue so that participants can more fully engage these issues and their peers through the resources of history and the consideration of alternate viewpoints.



The Humanities

The humanities are our cultural and intellectual heritage--the sum of human experience, thought, and expression. They give us knowledge of the past, insight about the present, and wisdom for the future. They teach us about others and help us to know ourselves.

The humanities are for everyone.

The Disciplines

History, literature, linguistics, philosophy, ethics, jurisprudence, comparative religion, and the history, criticism, and theory of the arts. Cultural anthropology, archaeology, political science, and international relations, and interdisciplinary areas such as folklore, women's studies, and American studies.