Have you ever run into meta-issues in the field of the digital humanities? You may have run into more than you think. Personally, I have encountered meta-issues in every digital humanities project I have participated in. Meta-issues are not something you might think of before joining a project but are essential to consider in the planning process for a digital humanities project. Gardiner and Musto, authors of The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars, define the term "meta-issues" in their book to refer to overarching or fundamental concerns and challenges pertaining to the digital humanities field. These meta-issues are crucial for understanding the broader context and implications of digital work in the humanities.
Meta-issues are essential to note in the planning process because they shape the landscape of digital work in the humanities and influence the success and impact of digital projects. Addressing these concerns at the start is essential for researchers and institutions to navigate the evolving digital landscape responsibly and effectively, ultimately advancing the field of digital humanities.
In my opinion, the biggest meta-issue to prepare yourself for is found in multidisciplinary collaboration. Collaboration is great and essential to produce the best projects; however, it can also prove to be one of the most challenging issues, depending on who you are collaborating with. Digital humanities projects often involve scholars from diverse backgrounds, including historians, computer scientists, and linguists. The challenge lies in effectively bridging these disciplines to ensure that digital projects are well-rounded and comprehensive.
Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for harnessing the full potential of digital tools and methods in humanities research. Another aspect of cooperation is the personalities within your group for collaboration. Some are natural leaders, while others are followers. There can be conflict over who will “chief” the project when there are more leader personalities in one group. According to Gardiner,
"When humanists collaborate, the process becomes hierarchical with a chief investigator and team of grad students…but the publication only has the name of the chief and not the team, (Gardiner, 122).”
Another meta-issue is Data Management and Curation. Managing and curating large datasets are central concerns in digital humanities. Data is easy to lose if not accounted for. It can also be hard to search if not appropriately cataloged. Researchers need to address issues related to data quality, preservation, and accessibility within their projects. They should take note of both existing data and computer-generated data. Ensuring that data remains reliable and accessible over time is critical for the long-term success of digital projects in the humanities. One of my projects is to tackle this problem and set up a system for future researchers. I plan to take all our videos, audio, and photos and catalog them for our program. This way, students can continue to draw from the fruitful video projects past students have put a lot of time into. A great way to start is by setting up an Excel spreadsheet to hold your data and categorizing it within the spreadsheet.
The last two meta-issues that stood out to me were ethical considerations and digital literacy and training. Ethical considerations are another vital meta-issue in digital humanities. Researchers must grapple with heavy questions about privacy, consent, emotional stake, and responsibly using digital data, mainly when dealing with sensitive historical materials. Many of our Digital Harrisburg projects deal with marginalized groups of individuals and their history, which carries a lot of weight on both the people working on the project and the community members involved. Ethical guidelines and frameworks for project groups to function are essential to navigate these complex ethical challenges as they occur. Digital literacy and training represent the fundamental importance of education and preparation before taking on a digital humanities project. Historians and scholars in the humanities need to acquire digital skills to engage with digital tools and methodologies effectively. Moreover, educational institutions must provide training and support to ensure that scholars are equipped to undertake digital projects.
These meta-issues are essential when building your plan for a digital humanities project. Without them, projects can fall apart or turn out subpar. As appealing as solo projects may seem regarding digital humanities, and believe me, I have tried, I have found group projects produce some of the most prosperous products.
Citations: Gardiner, Eileen, and Ronald G. Musto. The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Ullyot, Michael. “Review Essay: Digital Humanities Projects.” Renaissance Quarterly 66, no. 3 (2013): 937–47. https://doi.org/10.1086/673587.