UCLA Center for Digital Humanities

UCLA Center for Digital Humanities is an interdisciplinary research center located at the University of California, Los Angeles, dedicated to exploring the intersection of digital humanities, humanities computing, and social sciences. The center collaborates with various departments and institutions, including the UCLA Library, UCLA Department of English, and UCLA Department of History, to advance research and scholarship in the digital humanities. By leveraging the expertise of faculty and staff from UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, UCLA Department of Information Studies, and UCLA Institute for Digital Research and Education, the center fosters innovative projects and initiatives. The center's work is also informed by the research of prominent scholars, such as Alan Liu, Matthew K. Gold, and Patrik Svensson, who have made significant contributions to the field of digital humanities.

Overview

The UCLA Center for Digital Humanities is committed to promoting the use of digital technologies in humanities research, teaching, and outreach, building on the work of institutions like the Stanford University Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Virginia. The center's mission is to support faculty, students, and staff in their efforts to integrate digital methods and tools into their work, drawing on the expertise of organizations like the Association for Computers and the Humanities, Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations, and Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory. By providing access to digital resources, such as the UCLA Digital Library, Internet Archive, and Google Books, and collaborating with initiatives like the Digital Public Library of America and HathiTrust Digital Library, the center enables researchers to explore new modes of scholarship and creative expression, as exemplified by the work of Katherine Hayles, N. Katherine Hayles, and Lev Manovich. The center's activities are also influenced by the research of scholars like Jay David Bolter, Richard A. Lanham, and George P. Landow, who have written extensively on the intersection of technology and humanities.

History

The UCLA Center for Digital Humanities was established in response to the growing need for interdisciplinary research and collaboration in the digital humanities, building on the legacy of institutions like the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Yale University. The center's history is closely tied to the development of digital humanities as a field, which has been shaped by the work of scholars like Willard McCarty, John Unsworth, and Susan Schreibman. The center's founding was influenced by the National Endowment for the Humanities' efforts to promote digital humanities research and education, as well as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's support for digital scholarship initiatives, such as the Mellon Fellowship for Digital Scholarship. The center has also been shaped by the research of prominent digital humanities scholars, including Stephen Ramsay, Geoffrey Rockwell, and Stéfan Sinclair, who have developed innovative methods and tools for digital humanities research.

Research Initiatives

The UCLA Center for Digital Humanities supports a range of research initiatives, including the development of digital tools and methods for humanities research, such as the Text Encoding Initiative and Digital Forensics Lab. The center also collaborates with faculty and students on projects that explore the intersection of digital humanities and social justice, feminist theory, and critical race theory, drawing on the work of scholars like Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Angela Davis, and bell hooks. Additionally, the center is involved in initiatives that promote digital literacy and critical thinking, such as the Digital Humanities Summer Institute and Humanities Without Walls, which have been influenced by the research of scholars like Cathy N. Davidson, David Theo Goldberg, and S. Craig Watkins. The center's research initiatives are also informed by the work of institutions like the New York Public Library, Library of Congress, and British Library, which have developed innovative digital collections and research programs.

Affiliated Programs

The UCLA Center for Digital Humanities is affiliated with a number of programs and initiatives, including the UCLA Graduate Program in Digital Humanities, UCLA Undergraduate Program in Digital Humanities, and UCLA Digital Humanities Minor. The center also collaborates with other research centers and institutes on campus, such as the UCLA Institute for Society and Genetics, UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and UCLA Center for the Study of Women, which have been influenced by the research of scholars like Donna Haraway, Judith Butler, and Gloria Anzaldua. Furthermore, the center is involved in partnerships with external organizations, such as the American Council of Learned Societies, National Humanities Alliance, and International Society for the History and Theory of Intellectual Property, which have supported the development of digital humanities research and education.

Notable Projects

The UCLA Center for Digital Humanities has been involved in a number of notable projects, including the development of digital archives and collections, such as the UCLA Library's Digital Collections and The Walt Whitman Archive, which have been influenced by the work of scholars like Ed Folsom, Kenneth M. Price, and Matt Cohen. The center has also collaborated on projects that explore the intersection of digital humanities and public humanities, such as the Los Angeles Review of Books and Hyperallergic, which have been shaped by the research of scholars like Rebecca Goldstein, Jennifer Egan, and Jonathan Lethem. Additionally, the center has supported the development of digital tools and platforms, such as the Scalar content management system and Seadragon software, which have been used in projects like the Pynchon Wiki and Infinite Ulysses, and have been influenced by the work of scholars like Steve Anderson, Craig Dietrich, and Tara McPherson. The center's projects are also informed by the research of institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, which have developed innovative digital collections and research programs.