What is DH?

     After viewing the articles and readings for the week, I am now able to dissect some of the complexity within the meaning of Digital Humanities. Based on the book Digital Humanities is explained as the multitude of ways that combine research on humanities and applying this information using technological methods. To begin with, what is humanities? The book explains humanities as "Areas of cultural activity that are explicitly concerned with human existence and experience such as history, literature, the arts, performance and cultural traditions across time periods" (Drucker 9). For me this was helpful to begin really breaking down what is within the topic. The digital aspect pertains to the information of the humanities and how it can be stored using discrete coding and produce different modes of presentation.

    There are many components that make up the work of Digital Humanities. One way that the book provides that was helpful for me to simplify the meaning is that it can be expressed as "MATERIALS + PROCESSING + PRESENTATION". Beginning with materials, which can be anything from images or maps to sound and media files, anything that applies to the research project at hand. These materials are then processed and computed to analyze data. Lastly after this, the outcomes of the research are created into a presentation of some sort on or offline. 

    Furthering what I am learning about Digital Humanities, the Manifesto 2.0 introduced how it is a topic that is always changing and essentially an umbrella term for the vast ways to share humanities research. A quote that has helped me to understand this is "The phrase has use-value to the degree that it can serve as an umbrella under which to group both people and projects seeking to reshape and reinvigorate contemporary arts and humanities practices, and expand their boundaries" (Manifesto 13). I had never even heard the term Digital Humanities and am appreciating getting to learn a brand new topic. Since this is so new to me, the readings did not change any previous thoughts I had but they have helped shape my knowledge of DH as a whole. I am eager to continue shaping my understanding on the topic and shift my thoughts. 


Comments

  1. Dr. MSeptember 2, 2024 at 1:38 PM

    Nice Drucker quote to explain the foundation of humanities a bit more (as I know some of us are new to that too!). And DH really is "a topic that is always changing and essentially an umbrella term for the vast ways to share humanities research." And do that research, and discuss and share and publish and interact with.... :)

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  2. KayleighSeptember 2, 2024 at 5:05 PM

    This post was super helpful for me personally, as I still left class with some questions as to what Digitial Humanities was. What really resonated with me was the formula-like approach to explain the concept. I wonder what modes of presentations are most impactful in the world of digital humanties? How could existing projects be modified to garner more attention? Your post presented information to me in a very digestable way, and I now feel as though I have a much better grasp on what digital humanities is.

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  3. Jake TobinSeptember 3, 2024 at 10:12 AM

    I like how you broke down, much like the reading, both humanities and the digital aspects separately. This allows for ample understanding of both subjects and offers more insight into their application with combined with one another. The "Materials-Processing-Presentation" also was a very helpful example made within the book. Makes the aspect of DH more "visual".

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