Tom Scheinfeldt
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816677948
- eISBN:
- 9781452948379
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816677948.003.0006
- Subject:
- Education, Philosophy and Theory of Education
This chapter considers the criticism most frequently leveled at digital humanities, the so-called “Where’s the beef?” question—that is, what questions does digital humanities answer that can’t be ...
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This chapter considers the criticism most frequently leveled at digital humanities, the so-called “Where’s the beef?” question—that is, what questions does digital humanities answer that can’t be answered without it? What humanities arguments does digital humanities make? It acknowledges that digital humanities must eventually make arguments and answer questions. However, digital humanists need time to articulate their digital apparatus, to produce new phenomena that they can neither anticipate nor explain immediately. At the very least, they need to make room for both kinds of digital humanities, the kind that seeks to make arguments and answer questions now, and the kind that builds tools and resources with questions in mind, but only in the back of its mind and only for later.Less
This chapter considers the criticism most frequently leveled at digital humanities, the so-called “Where’s the beef?” question—that is, what questions does digital humanities answer that can’t be answered without it? What humanities arguments does digital humanities make? It acknowledges that digital humanities must eventually make arguments and answer questions. However, digital humanists need time to articulate their digital apparatus, to produce new phenomena that they can neither anticipate nor explain immediately. At the very least, they need to make room for both kinds of digital humanities, the kind that seeks to make arguments and answer questions now, and the kind that builds tools and resources with questions in mind, but only in the back of its mind and only for later.
Rafael C. Alvarado
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816677948
- eISBN:
- 9781452948379
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816677948.003.0005
- Subject:
- Education, Philosophy and Theory of Education
This chapter assesses the field of digital humanities. It cites the absence of a definition of digital humanities, as well as a lack of connection among the different groups of digital humanists ...
More
This chapter assesses the field of digital humanities. It cites the absence of a definition of digital humanities, as well as a lack of connection among the different groups of digital humanists beyond a shared interest in texts and the use of computational technologies to explore and understand them. But more important, none of these groups has successfully demonstrated to the wider community of humanists that there are essential and irreplaceable gains to be had by applying digital tools to the project of interpreting (and reinterpreting) the human record for the edification of society. The chapter argues that the digital humanities, as both a broad collection of practices and an intense, ongoing interpretive praxis generative of such practices, is best thought of as having two very concrete but equally elusive dimensions. On the one hand, the digital humanities comprises something very much like a curriculum, an interrelated collection of subject domains and resources that, as a whole, contributes to both the construction of knowledge and the education of people. The second and more important dimension is that center of gravity is not a particular assemblage of technologies or methods but the ongoing, playful encounter with digital representation itself.Less
This chapter assesses the field of digital humanities. It cites the absence of a definition of digital humanities, as well as a lack of connection among the different groups of digital humanists beyond a shared interest in texts and the use of computational technologies to explore and understand them. But more important, none of these groups has successfully demonstrated to the wider community of humanists that there are essential and irreplaceable gains to be had by applying digital tools to the project of interpreting (and reinterpreting) the human record for the edification of society. The chapter argues that the digital humanities, as both a broad collection of practices and an intense, ongoing interpretive praxis generative of such practices, is best thought of as having two very concrete but equally elusive dimensions. On the one hand, the digital humanities comprises something very much like a curriculum, an interrelated collection of subject domains and resources that, as a whole, contributes to both the construction of knowledge and the education of people. The second and more important dimension is that center of gravity is not a particular assemblage of technologies or methods but the ongoing, playful encounter with digital representation itself.
Matthew K. Gold (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816677948
- eISBN:
- 9781452948379
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816677948.001.0001
- Subject:
- Education, Philosophy and Theory of Education
Encompassing new technologies, research methods, and opportunities for collaborative scholarship and open-source peer review, as well as innovative ways of sharing knowledge and teaching, the digital ...
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Encompassing new technologies, research methods, and opportunities for collaborative scholarship and open-source peer review, as well as innovative ways of sharing knowledge and teaching, the digital humanities promises to transform the liberal arts—and perhaps the university itself. Indeed, at a time when many academic institutions are facing austerity budgets, digital humanities programs have been able to hire new faculty, establish new centers and initiatives, and attract multimillion-dollar grants. Clearly the digital humanities has reached a significant moment in its brief history. But what sort of moment is it? This book explores its theories, methods, and practices and to clarify its multiple possibilities and tensions. From defining what a digital humanist is and determining whether the field has (or needs) theoretical grounding, to discussions of coding as scholarship and trends in data-driven research, this cutting-edge volume delineates the current state of the digital humanities and envisions potential futures and challenges. At the same time, several essays aim pointed critiques at the field for its lack of attention to race, gender, class, and sexuality; the inadequate level of diversity among its practitioners; its absence of political commitment; and its preference for research over teaching.Less
Encompassing new technologies, research methods, and opportunities for collaborative scholarship and open-source peer review, as well as innovative ways of sharing knowledge and teaching, the digital humanities promises to transform the liberal arts—and perhaps the university itself. Indeed, at a time when many academic institutions are facing austerity budgets, digital humanities programs have been able to hire new faculty, establish new centers and initiatives, and attract multimillion-dollar grants. Clearly the digital humanities has reached a significant moment in its brief history. But what sort of moment is it? This book explores its theories, methods, and practices and to clarify its multiple possibilities and tensions. From defining what a digital humanist is and determining whether the field has (or needs) theoretical grounding, to discussions of coding as scholarship and trends in data-driven research, this cutting-edge volume delineates the current state of the digital humanities and envisions potential futures and challenges. At the same time, several essays aim pointed critiques at the field for its lack of attention to race, gender, class, and sexuality; the inadequate level of diversity among its practitioners; its absence of political commitment; and its preference for research over teaching.
George H. Williams
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816677948
- eISBN:
- 9781452948379
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816677948.003.0020
- Subject:
- Education, Philosophy and Theory of Education
Over the last several decades, scholars have developed standards for how best to create, organize, present, and preserve digital information so that future generations of teachers, students, ...
More
Over the last several decades, scholars have developed standards for how best to create, organize, present, and preserve digital information so that future generations of teachers, students, scholars, and librarians may still use it. However, the needs of people with disabilities have been neglected for the most part. As a result, many of the otherwise most valuable digital resources are useless for people who are—for example—deaf or hard of hearing, as well as for people who are blind, have low vision, or have difficulty distinguishing particular colors. This chapter considers the somewhat arbitrary concept of disability and assistive technology; argues why the digital humanities community should adopt a universal design approach; explains what a universal design approach would look like; and then offers suggestions for collaborative projects that should be undertaken by digital humanists.Less
Over the last several decades, scholars have developed standards for how best to create, organize, present, and preserve digital information so that future generations of teachers, students, scholars, and librarians may still use it. However, the needs of people with disabilities have been neglected for the most part. As a result, many of the otherwise most valuable digital resources are useless for people who are—for example—deaf or hard of hearing, as well as for people who are blind, have low vision, or have difficulty distinguishing particular colors. This chapter considers the somewhat arbitrary concept of disability and assistive technology; argues why the digital humanities community should adopt a universal design approach; explains what a universal design approach would look like; and then offers suggestions for collaborative projects that should be undertaken by digital humanists.