Introduction aux humanités numériques

The course is organized as follows:

1. Introduction: definitions and perspectives on Digital Humanities
2. Using a Digital Information System: information systems, algorithms, computers, and the Web
3. Modeling Data: tabular, relational, hierarchical, and network data models
4. Digitizing Sources: digitization policies and processes, metadata
5. Analyzing Content: analysis of research articles in the field of Digital Humanities
6. Disseminating Results: academic writing, publishing, and intellectual property rights

The aim of this course is to help students understand and master Information Technologies (IT) so that they can make effective use of them throughout their future academic and professional careers. Beyond highlighting the relevance of IT, and computing more generally, for the humanities and social sciences, the course also seeks to demonstrate the importance of applying perspectives and methods from the humanities to the field of computing and to the critical evaluation of information technologies.

Indeed, the relationship between computing and the humanities is too often portrayed as a one-way process in which technological developments simply provide tools for humanistic research. This course will therefore also explore how methodologies and critical approaches from the humanities can shed light on forms of technological determinism and on the sometimes overly positivist assumptions that characterize certain areas of computing and digital technology. By examining this reciprocal relationship, students will develop a more nuanced and critical understanding of the role of technology in society and knowledge production.

The book Introduction aux humanités numériques : méthodes et pratiques by Seth van Hooland, Florence Gillet, Simon Hengchen, and Max De Wilde, published by De Boeck in 2016, serves as a written resource for part of the course. However, it does not cover the entire syllabus and should therefore not be considered exhaustive.

The book is available through the Humanities Library and at the Presses Universitaires de Bruxelles (PUB).

The written examination consists of two parts:

• A theoretical component, comprising multiple-choice questions (single-answer and/or multiple-answer formats) as well as open-ended questions;
• A practical component, consisting of open-ended questions related to the material covered during the practical sessions.

Students who wish to do so may also undertake an optional project. Although this project does not contribute to the final grade, it provides an opportunity to become familiar with the tools and methods whose understanding is assessed in the theoretical part of the examination.

The course instructor reserves the right to invite any student who has submitted work for assessment to attend an additional interview in order to verify their personal mastery of the submitted material. This may occur, in particular, when inconsistencies identified in the assessment prevent the instructor from accurately evaluating the student's level of achievement of the knowledge and skills targeted by the course.

• Theoretical component of the written examination: 50% of the final grade.
• Practical component of the written examination: 50% of the final grade.