Digital Humanities

Neoliberal Tools Response

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 2 “Advocates position Digital Humanities as a corrective to the “traditional” and outmoded approaches to literary study that supposedly plague English departments,” (page 1).  This opening quote not only headlines a well-argued  point on DH’s role in the world of English study, but it also facilitates a jumping off point into one of the main conflicts that arise between “traditionalist”  scholarship and advocates of Digital Humanities fields of study. This narrative from the beginning takes on a supporting role as a well written supportive stance for the benefits of the Digital Humanitie. However, their stance comes across as primarily one-sided in Digital Humanities’ favor and does not offer much of an unbiased opinion from the other side of the spectrum.  In fact, many would not view some of the traditional approaches to scholarship as a plague to English  departments. Rather, it is a strong foundation that laid the groundwork for the future development and need of Digital Humanities.  In this manner, I do not believe they have completely given their expression of DH as a holistic, equal response.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 2 Contrastingly,  I do believe that they have outlined the history and context of Digital Humanities and done a good job supplying a perspective on the political aspects of how the Digital Humanities relates to neoliberalism and the concepts surrounding the trade and distribution of the Digital Humanities resources. “What Digital Humanities is not about, despite its explicit claims, is the use of digital or quantitative methodologies to answer research questions in the humanities. It is, instead, about the promotion of project-based learning and lab-based research over reading and writing, the rebranding of insecure campus employment as an empowering “alt-ac” career choice, and the redefinition of technical expertise as a form (indeed, the superior form) of humanist knowledge,” (pages 2-3).   Their expression and perspective on how the Digital Humanities can promote empowerment and restructure “humanist knowledge”, is a unique take on the concept of the Digital Humanities and as a whole, I think their aspirations can do a lot of good for scholarship and learning within universities and the field of Digital Humanities.

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