Reading Lab

Reflecting on changes in an activity at the heart of humanities education—not to mention of life as an engaged citizen—the Humanities Research Center is excited to announce its new Reading Lab for Spring 2025. Bringing together Rice undergraduates and faculty, the Reading Lab is an opportunity to think together about changing habits, forms, cultures, and futures of reading. Why and how do we read what we do? What are the stakes of changing habits of reading for education, politics, and an engaged citizenry? And what kinds of reading futures do we imagine?

Across three evening meetings, the Reading Lab aims to explore these and other questions through group discussion, consideration of short newsworthy essays,  joint activities, and collaborative engagement with a text of the group's choosing. Our goal is to begin rather than conclude our discussions—initiating an active grappling with the stakes and status of reading that continues into future years.

The HRC's Reading Lab is open to undergraduates currently enrolled at Rice University. All majors are welcome.

Interested in joining us? Please sign up using this form: https://forms.gle/7x3a6FxMHoDBvEgo6 (Rice login required).