Introduction to Digital Humanities: Cultural Analysis in the Information Age

While computers have changed the way we think and interact, systematic efforts to apply current technologies to the study of history and culture have been rare. This course will consider how these technologies might transform the humanities. We will explore the various ways in which ideas and data in the humanities can be represented, analyzed, and communicated using computational tools and techniques. We will also reflect on how the expansion of information technology has transformed and is continuing to transform the humanities, both with regard to their role in the university and in society at large. Readings and class work will be supplemented by small assigned digital projects culminating in a project chosen by the students themselves. No prior experience with technology is required.