D E B L A S I A @ D I C K I N S O N . E D U

Alyssa DeBlasio, PhDDickinson College (USA)

What are the Digital Humanities?

OUTLINE

1. Introduction: Defining the “Field”2. DH for Research3. DH for Teaching4. Going Forward: Challenges &

Questions5. Conclusion: Questions &

Contributions

1. DEFINING THE “FIELD”

How do you define DH?

All the ways that the humanities and digital technologies intersect. —Rebecca Davis

The thoughtful use of computing in humanistic inquiry and the thinking through of computing from the perspective of the traditions of the humanities. —Geoffrey Rockwell

The use of digital technologies to generate and answer new questions relevant to humanities and to share and transform scholarship and its modes of creation/dissemination. —Michael Widner

… a commitment to the openness of knowledge. Plus a commitment to build new scholarly objects. —Enrico Natale

The humanities in and for a digital age. —Laurie N. Taylor

Humanities. —Martin Holmes

How do you define DH?

• adds something• uses digital technologies but more than the tech• direction of the humanities?• commitment to the openness of knowledge and

info.• open-source tools• Renewed and reconceived role of the library and

archive

Melissa Terras (University College London)http://melissaterras.blogspot.ru

2012

http://melissaterras.blogspot.ru

OUTLINE

1. Introduction: Defining the “Field”2.DH for Research3. DH for Teaching4. Going Forward: Challenges &

Questions5. Conclusion: Questions &

Contributions

DH FOR RESEARCH

(1) Digitizing materials for public research • Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource

Center(2) New ways of presenting research• Mapping the Republic of Letters

(3) New ways of conducting research (crowd sourcing)• Transcribe Bentham

OUTLINE

1. Introduction: Defining the “Field”2. DH for Research3.DH for Teaching4. Going Forward: Challenges &

Questions5. Conclusion: Questions &

Contributions

BENEFITS

1. Visibility

BENEFITS

1. Visibility2. Merge research and teaching3. Inter-institutional collaboration4. “Teach Smarter” – maximize instructor efficiency and student learning outcomes

OUTLINE

1. Introduction: Defining the “Field”2. DH for Research3. DH for Teaching4.Going Forward: Challenges &

Questions5. Conclusion: Questions &

Contributions

4. GOING FORWARD: CHALLENGES & QUESTIONS

• access to digital resources• digital literacy• faculty workload

institutional support

TYPES OF INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Modified from: Patrik Svensson, “Landscape of the Digital Humanities,” Digital Humanities Quarterly 4.1. (2010)

1. Offer digital humanities training, seminars, conferences, etc.;

2. Collaborate with members of other academic departments, organizations or projects outside the home institution;

3. Create and nurture a “zone of experimentation and innovation” in the humanities;

4. Academic appointments and staffing for the DH;5. Incentivize research in digital scholarship among

faculty;6. Create, host, and encourage digital-based collections;7. Provides technology support and solutions to

humanities departments.

4. GOING FORWARD: CHALLENGES & QUESTIONS

• access to digital resources• digital literacy• faculty workload

• assessment – teaching & research• data storage• long-term project sustainability

institutional

support

QUESTIONS

1. Do digital technologies add something to my research?

2. Does the project make my teaching better and easier?

3. Do I have support for the project? Can I achieve what I want visually?

4. Is the project sustainable in the long-term?

5. CONCLUSION: QUESTIONS & CONTRIBUTIONS

Alyssa DeBlasio (Dickinson College)deblasia@dickinson.edu