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Chapter X

Introduction

Only the curious will learn and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning. The quest quotient has always excited me more than the intelligence quotient.—Eugene S. Wilson1

Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)2

There is only one admirable form of the imagination: the imagination that is so intense that it creates a new reality, that it makes things happen.—Sean O’Faolain (1900–1991)3

ow are the “” defi ned? A fairly general The challenge for those involved in the digital dictionary defi nition would be: “branches of humanities has been blending both technology and Hlearning (such as or languages) that traditional scholarship methods into a new paradigm for investigate human constructs and concerns, as opposed the profession. This new paradigm has been expressed to natural processes.”4 uniquely in a number of essays and publications, of which More specifi cally, humanities involve the process a few will be summarized here. of evaluation and inquiry into ideals, values, and other esoteric concepts that shape our lives and experiences. Digital Humanities Paradigm This is in contrast to the sciences, where observation and documentation of facts, hypotheses, and experiments Resources related to the physical and natural universe are The most important print publication thus far is A July – August 2005 – August July emphasized. Companion to Digital Humanities.6 This very important Digital humanities (and the related terms “e- resource provides an excellent summary of the of humanities” and “humanities ”) arose out of the humanities computing7 and is divided into sections: early computing machine environment immediately after World War II in the 1940s. Dr. Roberto A. Busa, generally, ■ Part I examines the fi eld from a disciplinary is considered the “father” of digital humanities.5 perspective, with chapters on , The history of humanities computing and , classics, history, lexicography, , humanities is one centered on text: its presentation, literary studies, , , performing , www.techsource.ala.org www.techsource.ala.org coding, and manipulation. Technological advances, the and philosophy and religion. appearance of the , and new directions ■ Part II discusses the fi eld from a principles perspective, in technology have moved digital humanities into the full with chapters on computers, classifi cation, , range of multimedia. But at the basic level, it’s important to remember that humanities scholarship still strongly deems that application is just as important as theory. In Humanities Defi ned other words, the interpretation of archival materials and http://writing.colostate.edu/references/teaching/ the tools to facilitate interpretation of those materials are co301aman/pop6b.cfm

Library Technology ReportsLibrary Technology equally important.

10 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org July – August 2005 11 nition of the Field” Commons,” which represents current computational current Commons,” which represents methods applications; and the above Commons) that interact directly boxes with humanities computing; and beneathknowing” the Commons) that provisional are in understanding bodies of thought and are that interact with the content of the Commons. Everything in the Commons and in the rectangular has two hyperlinked The Commons area essays The third essay—and a fairly recent attempt recent a fairly to The third essay—and e-Humanities Research Report e-Humanities Research www.ehum.edu.au/arc-report/context.html Computing? Toward “What Is Humanities a Defi www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/wlm/essays/what/ what_is. in Humanities “Knowledge Representation Computing” www.iath.virginia.edu/~jmu2m/KR/KRinHC.html “A Roadmap for Humanities Computing” http://maple.cc.kcl.ac.uk/mccarty/map Humanities Computing,” McCarty by Willard and Harold Short 2002. McCarty in July an and Short developed have interactive “map” of humanities computing at the present time, theory coming close to emulating humanist medieval (Aristophanes and the of “Cloud anonymous medieval writer)Unknowing” with century 21st technology in its presentation. “map” is divided into three The zones: 1. at the core/center of the map, a “Methodological 2. multidisciplinary groups (represented by rectangular 3. of by “clouds of learning (represented areas broad (although is hyperlinked of themmost do not boxes “Literary only cally, contain content any at this time; specifi Studies” have & Linguistic Studies” and “Performance at this linked time). essays any to it: and one on manuscripts, libraries, and , Serious the second is the “A historical bibliography, Beginner’s Guide to This particular Research.” representation state of the future and, perhaps, of current humanities computing call “innovative,” is what I would in that text. beyond and media It uses hyperlinks it goes theeld, thus user providing a picture of theto present fi rather thanwith words. just a “visual” reference on an essay that points to specifi c illustrations/examples thaton an essay points to specifi and thought.of reasoning ne his line that help to defi for Roadmap eld—is, “A help direct theof the future fi e-Humanities The report, however, does The report, however, One of McCarty’s important most

The fi rst is Willard McCarty’s is Willard rst seminal The fi which was composed by thewhich was Australian 8 lm, literary cognitive stylistics, multivariant narratives, The second essay is “Knowledge Representation in is “Knowledge The second essay Part on varioustopics related to the IV focuses production, dissemination, of digital and archiving content, with sustainability, on primary essays tools, usability conversion, and aesthetics,source digitalprofessionalism, libraries, and preservation. and guide for thisOverall, book is an essential reference Another of information, source particularly related nition of what e-humanities a defi Besides providing While the report of current discusses a number to related interesting of a number essays are There text text electronic markup, encoding, texts, and modeling. Part III then expands into applications, with discussions on authorshiplinguistic of studies, analysis corpora, electronic editing, scholarly textual thematic analysis, collections,research digital and resources, fi speculative computing, and roboticpoetics. ■ ■ essay, “What Is Humanities Computing? Toward a “What Is Humanities Computing?essay, Toward nition of the Field.” Defi statements is under “Meditation,” he states: where “. . . computing the humanities is not about speeding up conventional scholarship, or making its more performance cient or accurate, although all those improvements effi mean by scholarship itself because what we can occur, in the (a quote from Busa himself). changes process,” Humanities Computing,” Unsworth, by John Unsworth. Dr. one of the in humanities leading pioneers computing Initiative Encoding and the (TEI), discusses how Text to incorporate representation in and blend knowledge humanities computing. his discussion centers Interestingly, anyone exploring theanyone digital humanities in its state. current of e-humanities,to the is the concept Report, Research Network.e-Humanities Research is, the into two report divides e-humanities research distinct of individual or but related categories: arenas withteams of scholars working digital technologies and integrating them and teaching, into their and research questionsand exploring c research exploration of specifi the new technologies those to help answer questions. Australian projects in the e-humanities, of the many links to the projects or the don’t work, projects not are to the enough (according “innovative” criteria in set up in thisthethis of to be included Preface issue of work) Reports. Technology Library of importantlink up to a number and networks on groups the international and some of the level, projects these from In addition, later. will be discussed thegroups conclusion suggestionsof the for some concrete report does provide viabilityfuture e-humanities in scholarship. humanities computing that need to be mentioned and summarized here. 12 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org July – August 2005 devoted to associations, conferences,devoted toassociations, journals, blogs, as already defi digital projects humanities, inthe discussing “innovative” work ofthe centered majority on the with humanities, ofresources annotateddescription in the based onthe journalis contentinthis ofthe The organization list. this shouldconsult humanities digital working inthe andtoolstoassistthose lookingatnew services librarian were panel. Every addressed topicsthat by the some ofthe were collections library anddigital ), harvestable repositories and (suchasinstitutional discussion ofservices isavailable online. projects, as linkstotheir aswell summary, results andleaders,their directors project humanities were digital participants ofthe All services. library scholars valued digital andneededfrom was tofi DLFmeeting ofthis The purpose nd outwhat Federation (DLF). Library Digital in June2004bythe was convened scholarsthat panelofhumanities advisory Library Technology Reports, issue. ofthis section “Projects” willbediscussedinthe Most ofthese content. the and most require usertodownload plug-instoaccess the are innovative, projects ofthese donein3D.All projects actual illustrates that casestudy library reality to avirtual Language (VRML),andJava3D, butitalso provides access Modeling Reality 3D(X3D),Virtual such aseXtensible tools ofusingvarious anddescriptions explanations and Humanities.” Arts AGuidefor Reality: the andUsingVirtual “Creating most “innovative” Web guide available is: onthis site copiescanbepurchased. The orprinted , on the guidesare freely available these andvisualarts, linguistics; , language, and arts; performing history; Dividedintoarchaeology; humanities. disciplines inthe for various an onlinesetof“Guidesfor GoodPractice” Internet. on the available search isstill interface butthe isdefunct Projects orcomprehensive. claim tobeauthoritative itcannot basis,thus volunteer isonastrictly contribution doeshave butcontent content Initiatives however,structure, available are still online. neverproject proposal really anddatabase the tookoff; was aproposal butthe forProjects suchadatabase, Humanities ofDigital Database International Heritage) for aNetworked Cultural Initiative The NINCH(National successful. noneofwhichhasbeenparticularly projects, fihumanities humanities ofdigital eld tobuildadatabase Barriers to , the needfor tools,a scholarship,the todigital Barriers issueof ofthis section To introductory conclude this andtechnical practical very Not only doesitcontain (AHDS)has Service Data andHumanities The Arts Computer-Based ofHumanities Finally, Survey the ofResearch Digital The ARL(Association Libraries) inthe bythose There have attempts alsobeenvarious Preface. willbe ned inthe sections Short mention must bemadeofan mention 8. Many of these essays Resources Many canbeaccessedfrom ofthese the 8. bySusanHockey (pp.3–19),succinctly divided Written 7. Ed.SusanSchreibman, Ray Siemens,andJohnUnsworth, 6. Busa,“Foreword: A. Roberto See Digital onthe Perspectives 5. 4. #3096 Ibid,Quotation 3. #1656 Ibid,Quotation 2. Moncur’s #3608from Laura Quotation 1. Notes noted)asofMay 24,2005. otherwise workcited inthis were availableandlinkable (unless Allonlineresources section. projectthe description onWeb willprecedesection humanities inthe portals availableonline.Asomewhatlonger and software/tools Reality...” The AHDS“CreatingandUsingVirtual http://ahds.ac.uk/creating/guides/index.htm The AHDS“GuidesforGoodPractice” http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ctitext2/survey ofHumanitiesComputer-BasedSurvey Projects www.arl.org/did ARL DigitalInitiativesDatabase www.ninch.org/PROJECTS/data/database.html NINCH Intl.DatabaseofDigitalHumanities www.diglib.org/use/scholars0406 Summary DLF DigitalHumanitiesScholars’PanelResults http://vads.ahds.ac.uk/guides/vr_guide Humanities Computing Resources” Computing heading. Humanities “Bibliography,resources.html), and underthe Imaging, Rossetti (www.rossettiarchive.org/ Page atthe force.(TEI) asadriving Text anddevelopment of creation inthe Encoding Initiative importance andemphasizingthe periods into various time 2004). A CompaniontoDigital Humanities on Busa’s project. (Oxford: Blackwell, ppxvi–xxfor 2004).See information Susan Schreibman, Ray Siemens,andJohnUnsworth in Humanities” edu/references/teaching/co301aman/pop6b.cfm Taken from quotationspage.com Quotations , available at The Quotations Page , available atTheQuotations Humanities Defi Humanities A CompaniontoDigital Humanities ned athttp://writing.colostate. (Oxford: Blackwell, Motivational , www. . Ed.