Which main problems is advanced computing in the humanities facing?

Answering institutions:

Replies:

  • Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
    Institut fuer deutsche Philologie Lehrstuhl fuer deutsche Sprachwissenschaft :

    Managing many data, e. g. natural language corpora.

  • Lancaster University
    Department of Linguistics and Modern English Language:

    A main problem I believe which still stands on the path of the integration of computing into the humanities is the attitude towards technology taken by many in the humanities. Though I have seen a more positie attitude taken over time, there are still those who would bar any technological innovation, and worse still those who favour innovation, but lack the understanding of technology which allows them to deploy resources effectively. Taking these two aspects of the same problem in tandem, we can see academics who refuse all change, and those who encourage them by introducing half baked schemes which soon flounder.

  • Linköpings universitet
    Department of Computer and Information Science, Natural Language Processing Laboratory :

    Well, you can list many things here, including lack of funds in humanities departments and a communication problem between those who want to "sell" technology and those who fear it. Computing technology must be seen less as a matter of technology push and more as a means to develop the methods of research and training within the different humanistic disciplines.

  • The Robert Gordon University
    CRiAD- Centre for Research in Art and Design Gray's School of Art:

    There are the obvious problems of hardware: the setting up of efficient networking facilities, upgrading and financing thereof, as well as cross platform communication. There are also implications for literacy. At present there is a gap between computer experts and practitioners who are not computer literate. The skills required both to use and develop language and publication within the computer environment often exist within separate individuals. Although software currently available goes some way towards smoothing the path of the non computer literate, at an advanced level individuals inevitably make demands that cannot be fulfilled by 'off the shelf' packages. There is an increasing need to form collaborative teams in which ideas can be brainstormed, and developed within a trusting and professional context. These teams are by definition cross disciplinary. Alongside this development runs that of appropriate language within which to communicate emergent concepts, free from the assumptions which underpin the Art/Science and theory/practice divide.