"Here and There, Then and Now - Modelling Space and Time in the Humanities"

A Satellite Workshop of Digital Humanities 2012, Hamburg, Germany.
Tuesday 17th July

Spatio-temporal concepts are so ubiquitous that it is easy for us to forget that they are essential to everything we do. All cultural expressions are related to the dimensions of space and time in the manner of their production and consumption, the nature of their medium and the way in which they express these concepts themselves. This workshop seeks to identify innovative practices among the Digital Humanities community that explore, critique and re-present these spatial and temporal aspects.

Although space and time are closely related, there are significant differences between them which may be exploited when theorizing and researching the Humanities. Among these are the different natures of their dimensionality (three dimensions vs. one), the seemingly static nature of space but enforced 'flow' of time, and the different methods we use to make the communicative leap across spatial and temporal distance. Every medium, whether textual, tactile, illustrative or audible (or some combination of them), exploits space and time differently in order to convey its message. The changes required to express the same concepts in different media (between written and performed music, for example), are often driven by different spatio-temporal requirements. Last of all, the impossibility (and perhaps undesirability) of fully representing a four-dimensional reality (whether real or fictional) mean that authors and artists must decide how to collapse this reality into the spatio-temporal limitations of a chosen medium. The nature of those choices can be as interesting as the expression itself.

We invite those working with digital tools and techniques that manage, analyse and exploit spatial and temporal concepts in the Humanities to present a position paper at this workshop. Position papers should discuss a generalized theme related to use of spatio-temporal methods in the Digital Humanities with specific reference to one or more concrete applications or examples. Position papers will be separated into multiple panel sessions according to emergent themes. Those not wishing to present a paper are warmly encouraged to attend the workshop and take part in the extended discussion which will follow the presentations. This workshop is part of the ESF-funded NEDIMAH Network and organised by its Working Group on Space and Time (STWG).

Papers are invited on any topic that furthers these objectives. Topics
could be, but are not limited to:
∗       Spatial History
∗       Temporal analysis of ephemera
∗       Online contextualization of resources with data from related eras or regions
∗       Augmented reality applications
∗       Non-linear representations of space and time
∗       Digital analyses of fictional or mythical spaces or eras
∗       Modelling cultural dynamics and diffusion
∗       Comparisons between narrative, observer and 'real' times

Papers that are accepted will have their workshop fees covered. Separate NeDiMAH STWG workshops cover GIS, Webmapping and ontological approaches to representing space and time and the Humanities. While these may naturally be an aspect of accepted submissions they should therefore not form the main focus of the paper. Papers should be submitted before 21st March 2012. We will endeavour to decide on the final workshop programme by the end of March.

Please address submissions and queries to: l.isaksen[at] soton.ac.uk

STWG WG Committee are:
Daniel Alves
Jens Andresen
Shawn Day
Øyvind Eide
Leif Isaksen
Eetu Mäkelä
Eero Hyvönen