A personal Digital Humanities Definition

From the very beginning of our readings this week, I resonated with Pannapackers’ 2011 observation that Digital Humanities are now simply “the Thing” and the seeming inevitability of DH simply being “the humanities”. With the proliferation of digital tools and their applications towards enhancing the study and access of humanities, it became necessary to find a term to describe this emerging way of doing things. And although tools will continue to develop or evolve, the incorporation of digital tools with the humanities is here to stay. 

I find Digital Humanities best as an umbrella term in which these different ideas and technologies can be more concretely defined within. For example, what are the applications of mapping software to express topics in the humanities, and how does one use them? What are common data visualization techniques and outputs that can be incorporated with better understanding of humanities related topics? What humanities topics in general may best be represented via digital means over the written word? And so on…

I think that Digital Humanities is part of a wave of a burgeoning interdisciplinarity not just in academia, but those that are curious enough to explore and create. We are all increasingly participating across dynamic and collaborative media, so why not apply this to scholarship in order to truly lift whatever area of study is put out? Instead of waiting for “response papers” to add to the scholarly conversation, why not have the ability to comment and add to it now? And to open that ability up to anyone? Instead of a static article or book, why not have the ability to continually add or revise? Instead of limiting who publishes, why not open it to all?

How do the sites and projects reflect the issues in the readings
The sites and projects all reflect a way of presenting and providing access to different sets of data and information in a digital format. More specifically, Torn Apart/Separados speaks to a DH “that matters” and can bring about awareness of social issues to motivate action from the public. The Early Caribbean Digital Archive and Colored Conventions Project provides access to connect researchers and members of a diaspora to better understand that time in history, make connections today, and perhaps better understand themselves. They too seek to contribute to the decolonization of the archives and provide representation for traditionally marginalized voices from the past. The Reviews in Digital Humanities journal archive complements all of the readings in being able to browse through various DH projects that exemplify various aspects discussed within.