16.131 RE: 16.128 Mapping Humanites Computing

From: David Gants (dgants@english.uga.edu)
Date: Fri Jul 19 2002 - 11:33:05 EDT

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                  Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 16, No. 131.
          Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
                  <http://www.princeton.edu/~mccarty/humanist/>
                 <http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>

      [1] From: "David Gants" <dgants@english.uga.edu> (42)
            Subject: Re: 16.128 mapping humanities computing at ALLC/ACH
                    and after

      [2] From: "David Gants" <dgants@english.uga.edu> (35)
            Subject: Re: 16.128 mapping humanities computing at ALLC/ACH
                    and after

    --[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
            Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 10:43:44 -0400
            From: "David Gants" <dgants@english.uga.edu>
            Subject: Re: 16.128 mapping humanities computing at ALLC/ACH and
    after

    One apparent omission from the map is the area of computer pedagogy, which
    of course, might be said to underlie or otherwise be contained by the
    various disciplines represented on the map. However, under, say, "Literary &
    linguistic studies," I do not see any mention of the large amount of work
    that has been done in the study of computers and writing. Given that the use
    of word-processing in composition classes (and the theorizing of this use)
    is one of the original (and still one of the most common) entry-points of
    computers into English departments, I would think this area could be made
    more visible.

    --Bill Cole

    On 7/15/02 2:27 AM, "Humanist Discussion Group (by way of Willard McCarty
    <w.mccarty@btinternet.com>)" <willard@lists.village.virginia.edu> wrote:

    > Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 16, No. 128.
    > Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
    > <http://www.princeton.edu/~mccarty/humanist/>
    > <http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>
    >
    >
    >
    > Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 07:11:28 +0100
    > From: Willard McCarty <w.mccarty@btinternet.com>
    > >

    ...

    >
    > Based on the discussion at the ALLC/ACH, we will be adding to our map and
    > will occasionally publish new versions. We would be most grateful for
    > suggestions on how the map might be improved better to reflect the field
    as
    > it is now coming into focus. Clearly bits of the map are very sketchy
    > indeed. There are doubtless many omissions for want of sufficient
    > knowledge. What we hope to accomplish with this map is not to define
    > canonical boundaries and relationships -- not only is it too early to do
    > so, but many of them are by nature unstable. Rather we wish to stimulate
    > the activity of mapping. Help us fill in the details -- or alter the
    larger
    > parts.

    ...

    --
    William Cole <w.cole@morehead-st.edu>
    Instructional Technology Director, College of Education
    Morehead State University
    801 Ginger Hall || (606) 783-9326
    http://people.morehead-st.edu/fs/w.cole/
    

    --[2]------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 10:43:45 -0400 From: "David Gants" <dgants@english.uga.edu> Subject: Re: 16.128 mapping humanities computing at ALLC/ACH and after

    In response to Willard's note about mapping humanities computing:

    1. Two books of interest might be Dodge & Kitchin, _Mapping Cyberspace_, (Routledge, 2001) and _Atlas of Cyberspace_, (Addison-Wesley, 2001). The first is more theoretical, the second makes a good coffee-table book. Most of the examples can be seen at their www site: http://www.cybergeography.org/.

    2. I tend to think of Humanities Computing (HC) as both a commons of shared methods with which to explore the humanities AND as a collection of humanities practices with which to study computing and the culture of computing. I therefore suggest that Willard's diagram can be inverted so that something called "Computing" is in the middle. The traditional humanities have much to contribute to the study of culture and computing. Some of the ways in which the humanities have contributed are:

    2.1 Logic and the Philosophy of Mathematics - contributed to the foundations of computing 2.2 Ethics - contributed to issues in privacy, computer ethics, professional ethics, and intellectual property 2.3 History - contributes to the study of history of computing and related issues 2.4 Culture Studies - contributes to the study of popular culture and computing (games, MUDs and so on) 2.5 Language Studies - contributes to instructional technology 2.6 Literary Theory - contributes to hypertext theory 2.7 Art and Design - contribute to digital art, human-computer interface design and so on 2.8 Linguistics and Comp. Ling. - contributes with Philosophy to AI and NLP

    The list could go on, but my point is that we could put computing in the centre and talk about a variety of practices which contribute to our understanding of computing.

    3. I would also suggest that we are missing some of the forms of expression which have been of interest to the humanities, namely moving-pictures, performance, sculpture, and architecture. Images as a category is too limited to cover these.

    Yours,

    Geoffrey R.



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