network analysis – Digital Humanities Lab

“Should I do network analysis?” – Reflections on the Barcelona Past Networks Summer School 2024

And if so, how? Where to start a network research project?

Questions like these guided our week at the Barcelona Past Networks Summer School 2024, where we taught a hand-selected group of 25 graduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral delegates how to tackle a formalised network research project to study the human past — at the backdrop of the beautiful scenery of Barcelona’s eclectic architecture, the gravitas of the repurposed old church of Sant Agustí (our first venue) and the simple austerity of the University of Barcelona’s Physics department class rooms. After planning this for almost 1.5 years, countless meetings, and combining our joint experience of organising events such as the DH Lab Winter School 2022, or the series of HNR Workshops of the HNR Community, it was a feast to finally see this school unfolding! „“Should I do network analysis?” – Reflections on the Barcelona Past Networks Summer School 2024“ weiterlesen

A (not so) short history of historical network research – part 3

by Cindarella Petz

Finally, we have arrived at a comfortable depth after recounting the history of computational thought in historical research (part 1) and the development of network research (part 2).¹ It is time now to delve into networks in history in part 3 of this series!
„A (not so) short history of historical network research – part 3“ weiterlesen

This series draws in large parts on the chapters on historiographical perspectives on the digital humanities and network research of my dissertation (Petz 2022). [↩]

A (not so) short history of historical network research – part 1

by Cindarella Petz

Buckle up for a dive into the history of historical network research! In this (three-part series) post, I will recount the history of computational thought in historical research, discuss networks for history, and highlight some of the cornerstones of network methodologies in historical studies.¹ Prepare for part 1 on computational thought in the historical studies.

„A (not so) short history of historical network research – part 1“ weiterlesen

This series draws in large parts on the chapters on historiographical perspectives on the digital humanities and network research of my dissertation (Petz 2022). [↩]

Diving into Reddit: authority networks in history forums

by Daniela Linkevicius de Andrade and Demival Vasques Filho

Writing history in the 21st century means considering the digital space as a significant space for the production of historical knowledge, especially since dichotomies such as “offline” and “online” fail to do justice to how “real” and “digital” intertwine. These elements, currently approached as complementary, imply that one of the challenges that historians now face is understanding how the digital is constituted as part of our experience, playing a great influence in the way we interpret and perceive the world. If the digital modify every aspect of our lives, it is plausible to ask what this would mean for the historical field, especially regarding standards of authority, which are the pillars of the discipline. For this purpose, our objective in this project is to identify and analyze what types of authority networks we can find in Reddit history forums. „Diving into Reddit: authority networks in history forums“ weiterlesen

Exploring connections: Digital workshop on Network Analysis with Python

by Sarah Büttner

In times of covid-19, virtual workshops can be quite hard for organizers as well as for participants. On the other hand, they offer a unique opportunity to try unconventional methods to improve the situation for both sides. Dr. Demival Vasques Filho, in cooperation with Anna Aschauer, grasped such an opportunity at the DARIAH-DE-workshop Network Analysis with Python for Beginners, when he decided to simultaneously code and explain the basis on network analysis. Furthermore, he managed to address academics from different research areas with the help of some well-known fictional characters.
„Exploring connections: Digital workshop on Network Analysis with Python“ weiterlesen

LinkedArt: exploring network analysis in art history

by Sophia Renz and Vanessa Tissen

The beginning

It all started with the seminar on network analysis in the summer semester of 2020. After learning about the basics of network theory and building networks in Python ourselves, the teachers Aline Deicke and Demival Vasques Filho asked us students to work in groups to develop a project combining our individual humanities backgrounds with network analysis. We are specialists in art history, which we wanted to include in the project. On top of that, the IEG DH Lab provided us with funds and support to further explore the application of network analysis in the field, e.g. whether art history datasets are available and to what extent they are usable or which art historical analyses or topics have already been done. The research project was kept relatively open, so we were able to look at the subject matter first. Tasks and questions developed during the following research. „LinkedArt: exploring network analysis in art history“ weiterlesen

IEG DH Lab at NetSciX 2020

by Demival Vasques Filho

I just returned from Japan, where I attended the NetSciX (the Winter edition of NetSci) conference. It was an enjoyable event, with inspiring presentations and discussions. Here, I will share with you some of my perceptions about it!