Tallulah Holley and Lucy Jenkins give an overview of which subjects come under the SHAPE banner and why.
People, Economy & Environment
SHAPE seeks to recognise the links between social sciences, humanities and the arts in relation to people ('P'), the economy and the environment ('E'). This means understanding both the economic and intrinsic values of SHAPE disciplines and considering their relationship to our world. However, categorising subjects into defined areas is notoriously difficult. Using the SHAPE moniker, we can both define subjects as distinct and recognise the permeability between their borders.
Social Sciences
Social sciences use scientific methods to study human behaviour, society and the world around us. Subjects under the social science umbrella seek to observe, explain and analyse the way society works and how people interact with each other. Their remit ranges from economics and business to education and psychology. Social sciences impact our lives in ways we are not always aware of, shaping our politics and international landscape.
Humanities
The humanities are crucial for understanding and interpreting the human experience. They encourage us to think creatively and critically, teaching us to reason and ask questions about the world and its cultures. In doing so, they foster social justice and equality, developing informed and ethical citizens. Looking to the past to inform the present and build the future, they reveal how peoples and cultures make sense of the world, morally, spiritually and intellectually.
Arts
Art is the manifestation and representation of our culture, a unique expression of diverse human experiences. Art strengthens our personal and collective identities, preserving and promoting cultural diversity. Both the visual and performing arts are testament to human creativity and imagination. The arts can equally break down cultural, social, and economic barriers by engaging our emotions and teaching us to understand each other through our common humanity.
Subject Intersections
The connectivity between SHAPE subjects, as well as their relationship with STEM subjects, is a key reason to value them. This is in addition to understanding the complexity, skill and nuance of each discipline in their own right. Fluidity is part of the joy of SHAPE subjects which have at times incredibly malleable borders, flowing in and between single subject areas and often defying the clear definition associated with them. We see this fluidity realised in the way universities categorise SHAPE subjects; where one university will consider linguistics a humanities subject and another will classify it as a social science.
School and University
The specific subjects that are considered social sciences, humanities and the arts differ at each educational level. Configurations at primary, secondary and university highlight the difficulty of categorising a subject and the skills that it develops in learners. The lack of clarity can be confusing for learners and so understanding the differences in terminology is important for supporting learner choice.
Understanding what SHAPE subjects look like at each educational level and how they interact with each other helps to make them more visible and accessible. It gives young learners the confidence to understand the nuances of their education where all SHAPE subjects are present even if not clearly defined within their own subject area. Supporting learners to identify subject methodologies within other subjects is therefore crucial for promoting all SHAPE subjects at all levels.