An Introduction to Digital Humanities - Bay Area DH

Summary

Elijah Meeks, a Digital Humanities Specialist at Stanford, explores the concept of digital humanities, a field that combines computational methods with traditional humanities research. He highlights two contested definitions: one focusing on the use of tools like GIS and network analysis, and the other emphasizing a critical, inquiry-driven approach. Meeks discusses how digital humanities intersects with software studies, fan culture, and crowdsourcing, and critiques the lack of integration with pedagogy in academic contexts. Ultimately, digital humanities is portrayed as a critical framework for understanding digital culture through a humanities lens.

Takeaways

• 😀 Digital Humanities (DH) is an interdisciplinary field that brings computational methods to traditional humanities scholarship.
• 😀 Computational methods like GIS, network analysis, text analysis, and natural language processing are used to study fields like philosophy, literature, and history.
• 😀 DH is not just about applying technology; it involves critical inquiry and engagement with digital objects from a humanities perspective.
• 😀 The scientific approach in DH contrasts with humanities scholarship, which is more focused on critique and dialectical engagement rather than progressive building.
• 😀 DH encompasses areas such as software studies, which critically examine the culture and impact of technology, including hacker culture and the disruption of technological norms.
• 😀 The field also includes fan culture, where non-experts apply computational methods like network and spatial analysis to areas like data journalism and platforms like Wikipedia and TV Tropes.
• 😀 Critical inquiry in DH applies not only to traditional humanities but also to modern digital phenomena and the technologies surrounding them.
• 😀 Pedagogy (teaching and learning technology) is often overlooked in DH discussions, despite its potential impact on transforming education.
• 😀 DH has the power to disrupt established academic practices, but it should also be mindful of its limitations and blind spots, especially in pedagogy and its interaction with learning technology.
• 😀 The intersection of DH with other fields, like data journalism and crowdsourcing, shows how computational methods are increasingly democratized and applied by non-experts in diverse contexts.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of Digital Humanities (DH)?

Digital Humanities (DH) is focused on bringing computational methods to traditional humanities scholarship, such as literature, history, philosophy, and the classics, using tools like network analysis, GIS, and text analysis.

How does Elijah Meeks define Digital Humanities?

Elijah Meeks defines Digital Humanities as an approach that applies computational methods to traditional humanities fields. However, he emphasizes that DH is more than just using technology; it is a critical inquiry into the culture and methods surrounding these digital tools.

What role does critical inquiry play in Digital Humanities?

Critical inquiry is central to DH as it distinguishes DH from the sciences. While science focuses on progress and understanding for future development, DH is about critique, questioning the culture around digital tools and challenging existing systems.

What is the significance of using computational tools like GIS and network analysis in Digital Humanities?

Computational tools like GIS and network analysis enable scholars to analyze traditional humanities subjects in new ways, such as mapping historical events or exploring connections between different literary works, offering new insights into old subjects.

What does Elijah Meeks mean by 'disrupting hacker culture' in the context of Digital Humanities?

Meeks refers to 'disrupting hacker culture' as applying critical inquiry to the culture surrounding technology, including its development and use. This includes challenging the assumption that technology is always a force for progress and using it to critique existing systems.

What is the relationship between Digital Humanities and software studies?

Digital Humanities intersects with software studies, as both fields critically examine technology, particularly how software shapes culture and knowledge. Lev Manovich’s work in software studies highlights this overlap, emphasizing the importance of DH in critiquing the software used in computational methods.

How does the concept of fan culture relate to Digital Humanities?

Fan culture, such as the communities on Wikipedia and TV Tropes, plays a role in DH by using computational methods, like network analysis, to organize and critique knowledge in non-traditional ways. These fan-driven platforms democratize knowledge and challenge conventional academic structures.

What is meant by 'interloping' in the context of Digital Humanities?

'Interloping' refers to non-experts using digital tools and methods that were traditionally reserved for specialists, such as network analysis or GIS. This democratization of expertise allows people from different fields or backgrounds to contribute to academic and cultural discussions.

What is the gap that Elijah Meeks identifies in Digital Humanities?

Meeks identifies a significant gap in Digital Humanities: pedagogy. He points out that while DH focuses on using digital tools for research and analysis, it has not fully integrated these methods into teaching and learning, particularly in areas like MOOCs or hybrid classrooms.

Why does Elijah Meeks critique the use of Venn diagrams in explaining Digital Humanities?

Meeks critiques Venn diagrams as an oversimplified way of explaining Digital Humanities. He suggests that such diagrams fail to capture the complexity and dynamic nature of the field, and that the intersections between different areas are more fluid than these static diagrams suggest.