How Liberal Arts got me to where I am: Ashley's Story
Ashley is a Liberal Arts alumnus currently completing his PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Music at Queen Mary, University of London. He also works as a research assistant (University of Edinburgh; The Alan Turing Institute) and new media artist. Here, he discusses what made him switch to the Liberal Arts programme after initially studying Maths at Warwick, and why he believes it was the best decision for him and his career.
Why I chose to study Liberal Arts at Warwick
First and foremost, I didn’t originally choose to study Liberal Arts as Warwick! In fact, I initially joined the university as a pure Mathematics undergraduate. I did love maths, but my reasoning was based on STEM being a “safer” option for my career. Maths was brilliant for the part of me which preferred ‘problem solving’ to recalling a bunch of facts.
However, during my first year I quickly found that I wasn’t enjoying my chosen course as much as I had expected to. While the content was intellectually challenging, it felt divorced from real-world considerations. I wanted to work on problems from a perspective broader than just one discipline.
I met so many Liberal Arts students on campus in that first year, and I was drawn to what an interesting and highly knowledgeable group they were. They were all so different from each other, yet unified by a clear sense of purpose and interdisciplinarity. It seemed kind of intense! But I think that’s what I was craving.
After getting in touch with Gavin to find out more about the course, he recommended I read Leon Trotsky’s 1938 Art and revolution: writings on literature, politics and culture to help me understand more about what a Liberal Arts programme entailed. Reading that book led me down the rabbit hole of critical theory and I was instantly hooked! I applied to switch departments for the remainder of my studies and haven’t looked back since.
The skills and experiences from Liberal Arts that contributed to my success
Problem-based learning is at the heart of Liberal Arts at Warwick. I was encouraged to address a wide range of societal issues (from sustainability to intersectionality and power) through multiple different approaches and theoretical standpoints, particularly from philosophy and the sciences.
Learning how to analyse and come up with solutions by considering many critical lenses has taught me interdisciplinary skills that have been invaluable to my academic career. For example, my undergraduate thesis discussed the impact of improvisation on individual and collective identities in the 20th century Black Atlantic. In researching this project, I dealt with human geography, phenomenology and discourse analysis. These research perspectives are still prevalent in my own work, which spans Human-Computer Interaction; Science and Technology Studies; Critical Computing; Responsible AI; and Sound Art.
Right now, in my role as a Research Assistant, I work across a large multidisciplinary team across multiple universities; what I learned in my Liberal Arts degree has helped me manage the various research duties involved, understand which individuals bring the best expertise for certain tasks, and identify where there are gaps in knowledge and how they can be filled. It’s as if Liberal Arts has given me the tools to create a large critical map for research and understand how to bring all the elements together in a way that works cohesively!
This versatility has also lent itself to non-academic work experience, such as at museums, in the music and arts sectors, and in education.
What I would tell parents whose children wish to study Liberal Arts
My parents both worked in the Arts throughout their careers, so although supportive, they were initially concerned about my decision to move away from the supposed ‘golden ticket’ that is pure mathematics. After seeing the success that I have had in my career since, their fears have been quashed and they both agree that I ended up making the right decision.
In reality, no field can guarantee a job at the end. With the increasing pressure of automation on the job market, being a skilled creative and critical thinker with a unique profile is the best way to stand-out. I think Liberal Arts does this brilliantly.
I would say to parents: allow your child to explore something they are genuinely passionate about and see how they can use it to shape their own unique career. These unique perspectives and passionate people contribute so much more to the world.
What I would tell potential students thinking of studying Liberal Arts
There are many students who fall into Liberal Arts because they finish their A Levels and do not know what they want to do afterwards. Although I don’t want to disparage this approach, I would actually advise that you have a clear reason as to why you want to study Liberal Arts and where you want your studies to take you.
For me, it was the application of philosophy and mathematics to transform our relationship to technology. Until Bryan’s introduction to STS and an early introduction to Walter Benjamin cemented this path for me, I wasn’t as crystal clear (I was 19, after all).
So, if you are still unsure, don’t worry – the academic team are there to help you find your path and follow your passion!