Humanities and Social Science Program

Storytelling through Research: Humanities and Social Sciences Versatile Research Academy

Faculty Advisor: Professor of Global Liberal Studies, New York University in Paris

Research Program Introduction

Searching for the right research topic can be hard. For many high school students, the challenge isn’t a lack of curiosity, it is figuring out how to turn that curiosity into a focused project. You might enjoy both history and technology but have no idea how to connect them. Maybe you are fascinated by philosophy but also drawn to economics, and you are unsure what kind of research could bring those together. Or perhaps you’ve only studied subjects separately in school and haven’t yet explored how ideas from different fields can intersect to answer complex questions.

With Dr. R, an expert in guiding interdisciplinary research, students will have the opportunity to explore across the humanities and social sciences. Here are some examples to give you a better idea:

  • Philosophy + AI → The ethics of artificial intelligence in decision-making.

  • History + Technology → How social media changes the way history is written and remembered.

  • Political Science + International Relations → The future of diplomacy in a digital age.

  • Philosophy + Economics → Justice, fairness, and global trade systems.

Through weekly workshops, peer discussions, and one-on-one TA support, participants will refine their research questions, engage with relevant literature, and build methodological skills. Each student will present their progress at key milestones, receiving constructive feedback from faculty and peers to strengthen their work. The program culminates in a symposium where students showcase their findings, fostering a collaborative community of emerging scholars committed to critical inquiry and interdisciplinary dialogue.

Program Deliverable and Goals

  • Goal 1: the potential of publishing your work in a suitable outlet. The Faculty Advisor will provide detailed guidance throughout the research program. 

  • Goal 2:  Ensuring that each student’s paper/project will contribute to the development and clarification of their academic persona and disciplinary orientation and also offer them a focused site of intellectual exploration that can function as a springboard for further research to be conducted during their college careers (including by helping them to explore the choice of major and specialization).

Example Topics for Final Project:

  • Sociological, Political and Cultural Dimensions of the Media Landscape

  • The Political and Cultural Representations Behind Styles

  • The History and Culture behind Food

  • Myth and Ritual: From Zeus to Iron Man

  • The Black Atlantic Revisited: Jazz, Blues, and the Avant-Garde

  • Contemporary French Philosophy: Key Thinkers and Concepts

  • Or any other interdisciplinary topics that you are interested in, and that your professor approves after discussing it with you.

Program Details

  • Cohort size: 3 to 6 students

  • Workload: Around 4 to 5 hours per week (including class and homework time)

  • Target students: 9 to 12th graders interested in any subjects, and want to practice their interdisciplinary research skills.

  • Schedule: TBD. Meetings will take place for around one hour per week, with a weekly meeting day and time to be determined a few weeks before the start date.