Digital Humanities and Social Justice

Although people have been caught up in the correct definition of the term “digital humanities,” we should perhaps be more concerned with the how of DH rather than the what. This talk focuses on how digital approaches—3D modeling, augmented reality, GIS, and textual analysis, to name just a few—have begun to reveal evidence for social inequality, misogyny, racism, and marginalization. This talk highlights just a few local and international DH projects working to these ends; from redlining maps to the statistical analysis of the gender pay gap at public universities. Clearly, it is not about who is and is not a digital humanist that is the real issue in 2017. All humanists—digital or otherwise—have the power to band together in order to bring about transparency and hasten social awareness. If democracy truly “dies in darkness,” then perhaps DH can contribute some flashlights to the cause.

Sarah E. Bond is Assistant Professor of Classics & Associated Scholar, Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio at the University of Iowa.