If one were to attempt to market the Humanities, focusing on its instrumental value as the main concept to be sold, one might end up in the field of collaboration or comparison. Both Clune and Brody discuss these ideas, as when one is trying to become more established or step into the forefront of people’s minds, aid from others or respectfully “stealing” the credibility of an already established institution have been valid and effective methods. Clune takes the route of comparison, when she observes that, “literary expertise differs from scientific expertise in many respects. But in both cases we can distinguish professional judgment from mere private opinion. And, like scientific judgment, understanding the basis of expert literary judgment is a learning process” (Clune). Clune attempts to illuminate the value of the Humanities by describing both the similarities and differences of an already mainstream institution, the physical sciences, utilizing its credibility to build up that of the Humanities, in order to market it. Brody chooses the other path, one of collaboration, as he points out that;
“First, humanities teachers should develop assessment tools that respect and accommodate the special features and intrinsic value of ethics and humanities, ideally through collaborations with social scientists skilled in qualitative methods. Second, teachers should be prepared to push back against the accrediting agencies when those bodies appear ready to adopt inappropriate assessment instruments merely so they can say that evaluation is taking place” (Brody).
Brody desires to work with an already established institution, the social sciences, in order to learn from their experience, as well as benefit again from their credibility. This certainly is a wholly new method than comparison, but it does function in similar ways and in the end accomplished the same goal. It is true that the social sciences are much more related and compatible with the Humanities than the physical sciences, so this different route could simply be strategic – using the method that fits with differing established institutions. Whatever the reason, Clune and Brody exemplify that both comparison and collaboration are effective ways to find or create value and market a certain institution to the best degree possible.
