Digital Humanities (DH) is a vibrant field that uses digital technologies to study the interactions between cultural artifacts and society. In our second decade of the twenty-first century, we face a number of questions about the values, methods, and goals of humanistic inquiries at the intersection of digital media and theory.

Topics addressed in the Inaugural GW Digital Humanities Symposium (initiated by GW Medieval and Early Modern Studies Institute and Dean’s Scholars in Shakespeare Program) include:

• Digital and “analogue” scholarship: goals, methods, best practices
• Challenges of working with and against multiple media
• (In)visible histories of race, gender, and avenues of access
• Disability, cultural difference, and linguistic diversity
• Visual and print cultures, embodiment, archiving the ephemeral
• Canon formation, close and distant reading strategies
• Resistance to digital humanities and issues of legitimacy
• Promise, perils, and future trends of digital humanities and pedagogy

Features:

• Provocative, 15-minute presentations; Skype session; hands-on proof-of-concept sessions; digital pedagogy sessions
• Emphasis on live discussion and debates
• Free Wi-Fi for all; bring your own laptop, tablet, or smart phone
• On-site digital humanities book display and sales
• Videos of the talks may be available online
• The event is free and open to the public, but you are required to register. The presentations are designed with a broad audience in mind and address multiple disciplines that range from computer science and media studies to gender and race studies, digital pedagogy, and literary studies.

This event was co-organized by Prof. Alexa Alice Joubin, Prof. Jonathan Hsy, Prof. Daniel DeWispelare, and Prof. Patricia Chu, with significant assistance from Emily Russell and GW English. The event was co-sponsored by the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Dean’s Scholars in Shakespeare Program, GW Medieval and Early Modern Studies Institute, School of Engineering & Applied Science, English, Disability Support Services, Computer Sciences, University Libraries, University Honors Program, University Writing Program, Writing in the Disciplines, Women’s Leadership Program, Theatre & Dance, East Asian Languages & Literatures, and the GW Language Center.

For more, visit the online guidebook associated with the event and read this archive of tweets; see also this interview with the co-organizers.