DH in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is surely “alive and kicking”, as a multitude of DH projects as well as funding programs by, among other, the DFG, BMBF and the Volkswagenstiftung demonstrate – but DH scholars in our region still lack a representative organization that would formulate our field’s academic interests and requirements and communicate these to regional research policy makers and funding agencies, as well as to the broader public.
DHD founding UnConference on 17 July 2012
In order to facilitate future strategic development of DH as a leading future research paradigm, we invite all academic Digital Humanities researchers in the German speaking region to come together, exchange ideas and information and establish a joint professional organization called “Digital Humanities Deutschland” (hereafter: DHD). The DHD is intended as a chapter organization within the European ALLC (Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing).
The format of the inaugural meeting of the DHD, which is funded by a generous grant awarded by the VolkswagenStiftung, will be that of a so-called un-conference. Rather than adhering to the rigid protocol, this type of event places particular emphasis on providing an opportunity for informal exchange, and for public debate among leading DH experts that will underline the need for and prospects of a German academic organization in the field of Digital Humanities. The formation of the DHD thus combines three elements:
- an initial project fair as a platform for the informal presentation of current undertakings in the Digital Humanities, with a particular focus on projects lead by of junior researchers;
- the subsequent founding of a German regional association DHD (Digital Humanities Deutschland) as a regional chapter of ALLC;
- an expert panel discussion that will explore strategic issues of relevance to the emerging Digital Humanities community in the German speaking countries.
This inaugural unconference will be held at the University of Hamburg on 17 July 2012 in conjunction with the DH 2012 and will conclude immediately prior to its opening. (The registration procedure will be coordinated with that for the DH 2012.)
To receive updates on this initiative, please subscribe to the DH 2012 mailing list and earmark the new DHD web address http://www.dig-hum.de - please spread the news!
Digitally yours,
Jan Christoph Meister
Gerhard Lauer
Peter Wittenburg
