The American Academy of Arts & Sciences Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, co-chaired by Duke President Richard Brodhead, has released its report calling the humanities and social sciences essential for American education, security and competitiveness. The report is meant to start a national conversation on the importance of the humanities and social sciences to America's future.

President Brodhead explained that "the problem people found was not that the faucet was leaking or the light bulb was broken. The problem we found was that the humanities are undersold. The perception of the values of the humanities has eroded to the point where people think they can just dismiss them.”

The report and a companion film featuring prominent humanistic scholars, artists, and national leaders can be found on the commission's website.