Café Aspen at RNE «Humanities, innovation and creativity»

Last Monday, November 29, 2021,  Aspen Institute España, together with Radio Nacional de España, held the eighth session of the Café Aspen Program at RNE, with a dialogue on “Humanities, innovation and creativity” with Iñaki Sandoval, pianist and composer and Aspen España Fellow, María Santoyo, CEO of Curiosa, director of the International Master in Photography and Project Management at the EFTI school, member of the Digital Culture Advisory Board of Fundación Telefónica and Aspen España Fellow, and Miguel Herrero de Jáuregui, professor of Greek Philology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Aspen España Fellow.

This session focused on the role of the humanities in promoting creativity and innovation in today’s society. In a society controlled by immediacy and constant change, are the arts and humanities falling by the wayside or are we experiencing a resurgence of their importance? Can we address the implications that inequalities, new technologies or the fight against climate change have on our society without turning to philosophy, the construction of narratives or the question of what kind of culture defines us as human beings?

The power of technologies to replace human beings in repetitive jobs has made companies rethink the type of profile they are looking for. Today, companies are looking for creative workers, able to deal with and propose ideas for new contexts, such as the way out of the crisis caused by Covid-19. What kind of training brings these skills? Will a purely technical society be able to be creative?

Aspen Institute España, together with Radio Nacional de España, develops a space for reflection in which a diverse group of Aspen Alumni meets to escape from an increasingly polarized political environment and discuss ideas for action. These programs are directed and moderated by Íñigo Alfonso, Aspen España Fellow, and are broadcast on “Las mañanas de RNE”.