Digital Humanities and advocacy: communicating the value and impact of DH in teaching, research, and infrastructure development

UK-Ireland DH Network workshop

Tues 16th March, 10:00-16:00

Please register via Eventbrite.

How should a DH Association for the UK and Ireland carry out advocacy? How can we ensure that any Association that emerges has both the authority and representation to speak on behalf of DH communities of practice? What are the entities that need expert input from the DH community, and how can the Association ensure that it informs and shapes policy and other decision making processes? 

The aim of this workshop is to discuss the policy areas in which DH interests need to be heard, and discuss some shared, strategic challenges where a united voice of those working in DH is needed. The workshop will explore the key issues that affect DH development in the UK and Ireland that have policy implications, areas where expert opinions and guidance may be needed, and the audiences for these views.  

We will focus on three key areas where advocacy is needed in DH: Research, teaching, and infrastructure. 

In research, these issues include the way that DH tools, methods, and outputs are assessed for national research assessment exercises and peer review of digital content, tools, methods and research outputs, and the impact of open access publishing on DH research outputs.  

For teaching, central issues have emerged around shared curricula and teaching assessment, especially the lessons learned from recent experimentation with online course delivery.  

In terms of infrastructure development, what are areas for investment that will impact the development and uptake of DH? And what can we do to effect engagement with those shaping policy regarding key infrastructure investment? Is there a need for a shared view? How can we advocate for DH, and to whom? How best can we facilitate international cooperation and collaboration: in the UK’s post-Brexit landscape, how can we stay connected despite the loss of schemes like Erasmus? How can we ensure continued UK DH involvement in H2020?  

And structurally, what model of DH Association in the UK and Ireland would underpin an advocacy agenda? What membership models would support an organisation that has a resonant and authoritative ‘voice’ for our field?  

Event Schedule  

10.00 - 10.30 -- Welcome to participants 

10.30 - 11.30 -- Reshaping Research  

11.30-11.45 -- Comfort break 

11.45 - 12.45 -- Transforming Teaching 

12.45 - 13.45 -- Lunch 

13.45 -14.45 -- Innovating Infrastructure 

14.45 - 15.00 -- Comfort break 

15.00 - 15.45 -- Panel and open discussion  

15.45 - 16.00 -- Summary and next steps 

Reshaping Research 

• Jane Winters (Chair) 
• Andrew Prescott 
• Marc Alexander 
• Tom O'Conner 
• Simon Hettrick 

Transforming Teaching 

• Justin Tonra (Chair) 
• Julianne Nyhan 
• Paul Gooding 
• Catherine Cronin 
• Francesca Benatti 

Innovating Infrastructure 

• Jennifer Edmond 
• Stuart Lewis 

Panel & Open Discussion 

• Mike Pidd (Chair) 
• Tao-Tao Chang 
• Chiara Loda 
• Alan Bowman 
• Andrew Prescott 
• Jane Ohlmeyer 

For more information visit our website at: https://dhnetwork.org/