Summary

This week's readings look at how software tools and the study of people and culture come together, raising important questions about how we define and understand cultural patterns. Laura Mandell criticizes the tendency to oversimplify gender in data analysis, encouraging scholars to use computer methods but be careful of reducing complex identities to basic labels. Stephen Ramsay, on the other hand, supports a balanced approach where using computers helps but doesn't take away from the flexibility needed in studying the humanities. Both readings highlight the importance of staying thoughtful and critical when using data and algorithms in digital humanities.