CMLT140

Description

Humanistic disciplines seem to be under attack in a world dominated by technologies that read, view, listen,"think" and decide on our behalf. Machines and algorithms are portrayed as "intelligent" entities that can read, write and even think better than humans do, leaving the humanities as a secondary and unimportant set of disciplines that can be easily replaced. In this course, however, we explore how the humanities havemet the challenge posed by the computationalturn of academia through fields such as digital and public humanities. Encompassing a wide range of methods including but not limited to text analysis, network analysis, spatial analysis, data visualization, gamification, web programing and software development, these fields aim to address humanistic big questions through computational methodologies. At the same time, digital and public humanities are highly collaborative spaces where practitioners, scholars and collaborators take a critical stand to assess technological development from a humanistic perspective. This course addresses questions related to knowledge production, technological determinism, intelligence, access, discrimination as a technological tool, etc., by exploring both the practical outputs of humanities disciplines globally (literary works, visual pieces, historical documents, social commentary, etc.) and the big questions they encourage us to consider. With a complex interdisciplinary perspective, the course will be a space for creativity,experimentation, critical thinking and collaboration. This course is designed as a foundational class that will provide an overview of the digital humanities from global and critical perspectives as an interdisplinary field. Open to students at all levels, from first year to seniors, this course aims to bring experts and colleagues to discuss their perspectives on the way the humanities have been impacted by digital technologies and vice versa. Likewise, this course will be a good representation of the digital humanities: a blend between theoretical discussions through lecture like-sessions and hands-on activities through labs and activities to build digital objects.