Join DASSH (Defending the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities)
Since our founding in 1919, ACLS has remained committed to the core belief that knowledge is a public good. As a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, our advocacy work reflects this core commitment by promoting and strengthening awareness of the value of the humanities and social sciences. On behalf of scholars, students, and administrators, and in partnership member societies and peer organizations, ACLS continues to support initiatives that advance the free circulation of humanistic knowledge through scholarship and teaching.
Whether you have one minute or one afternoon, here are 10 key ways you can join us in the critical work of amplifying the humanities and social sciences:
Defending the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
Defending the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (DASSH) is a volunteer initiative dedicated to building alliances with people within and beyond the academy to improve public understanding of the value of humanistic knowledge. This initiative brings together vibrant members of our community including awardees, reviewers, institutional leaders, and other supporters.
Join our volunteer network and take action today. Please forward any ideas for events, workshops, or other activities you would like to organize or lead, as well as any questions, to [email protected].
Many of us look to our own disciplinary organizations to protect the integrity of scholarship and pedagogy in our respective fields during these challenging times. But ACLS, with its broad reach across the arts, humanities and social sciences, has the ability to speak for all of us, making our voices that much louder and our case that much stronger. Please join ACLS and the many colleagues and affiliates it represents to defend the great importance of independent research, writing, and teaching.
Lizabeth Cohen
Howard Mumford Jones Research Professor of American Studies and Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor, Department of History; 1993 ACLS Fellow; Member, ACLS Board of Directors
ACLS launches Defending the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (DASSH) to mobilize scholars and allies in support of academic freedom and humanistic knowledge.
News Article
January 14, 2026
Make a Difference with DASSH
Join our growing network of DASSH volunteers to speak up and speak out about the value of knowledge to the public. Sign up below to indicate your interest and how you would like to be involved.
Like, follow, and share our social media and website content to spread the word about our advocacy efforts, events, fellowship and grant competitions, as well as stories about awardees we support whose research has a direct impact on their respective fields and broader communities.
3. Subscribe
Stay in Touch
Sign up for the monthly ACLS newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, in addition to updates from the broader ACLS community including staff, member societies, and other advocacy partners.
Advocacy at ACLS
ACLS serves as a vocal advocate for the humanities and social sciences. Stay updated on our advocacy efforts and published statements by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.
Your passion for your work is contagious! Practice speaking to non-academic audiences about why you enjoy the work you do, not just what you do. Sharing more about your “why” helps others better understand the importance of our fields, demystifies the learning that takes place on campus, and points to the impact of our work on past, present, and future students.
Take advantage of low-stakes, casual opportunities to share what excites you about your work. For example, if someone asks you what you do for work, you could say:
“I teach students literature, and I love it because…”
“I study migration because it helps us understand…”
“I’m writing a book about the history of film because…”
“I support students and scholars because…”
Our #TalkAboutHumanities #TalkAboutSocialSciences media campaign is a great way to practice this!
5. Attend
Gather with fellow supporters of ACLS at online and in-person events to celebrate our awardees, share strategies with other higher education leaders, and learn how you and your community can champion the humanities and social sciences.
6. Write
Join ACLS community members in connecting the humanities and social sciences to timely issues by writing an op-ed for your local paper or other publications that reach audiences beyond the academy. Below are a few examples:
By Simran Jeet Singh (2018 Luce/ACLS Fellow in Religion, Journalism & International Affairs)
7. Speak
Pursue opportunities to speak at non-academic events within your community and demonstrate how the humanities and social sciences touch our everyday lives.
For example, offer to present at a gathering for your rotary club, religious community, local library, or hobby group—you name it! Become a speaker at programs such as Lectures on Tap, Profs and Pints, or After5Society—event series featuring scholars giving lectures in bars, cafes, and other off-campus venues across the country including San Francisco, Los Angeles, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and New York. Seek opportunities to engage public audiences though podcasts or videos such as Wired Magazine’s “Tech Support” series where scholars and experts answer questions from the internet about timely topics related to their field.
8. Review
Volunteer to review
ACLS relies on fellowship and grant application reviewers whose varied expertise allows us to assess and recognize the outstanding contributions of scholars across many academic fields. Please complete this volunteer form to be considered as a peer reviewer and get a front row seat to witness the future of humanistic knowledge production.
9. Nominate
ACLS is only as strong as our connections to learned societies and academic institutions that represent a range of disciplines and scholarly communities. Nominate your society or institution for membership in ACLS. Members take advantage of opportunities to network and collaborate with others committed to sustaining and enhancing the national infrastructure of humanities research, teaching, and writing.
To learn more about membership for scholarly societies, research libraries, museums, academic presses, or state humanities councils, please contact ACLS Director of Member Society Relations, Camilo Villalpando.
10. Support
Support ACLS
By making a donation to ACLS, you can support the work of scholars whose research enhances our knowledge and understanding of history, culture, and ideas. Every gift counts toward supporting the present and future flourishing of the humanities and social sciences.
