Overview
This lecture discusses how digital technologies are transforming the arts, humanities, and cultural heritage, examining both opportunities and challenges, as well as the vital role of arts and humanities in shaping the digital landscape.
Digital Revolution & Its Challenges
- Digital technologies are changing how we buy goods, consume media, and engage with the arts and humanities.
- New challenges include information access, data storage, intellectual property, data security, and privacy.
- The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) prioritizes research on digital transformations.
Digital Humanities & Historical Context
- Digital humanities explore new ways of thinking about and engaging with cultural heritage using technology.
- Comparisons are made between the current digital revolution and the printing/industrial revolutions, noting gradual and complex change.
- Historical analysis can challenge techno-enthusiastic claims and inform economic and policy decisions.
Information Quality & Web Commercialization
- The internet is a major information source, but content may be simplistic, outdated, incorrect, or biased.
- There’s a need for greater theoretical and critical rigor from the humanities in evaluating online information.
- Commercialization and fragmentation of web content may limit open access in the future.
Multidisciplinary Digital Projects
- The AHRC digital theme aligns with research into the digital economy's effects on society, culture, and communities.
- Projects such as 3D printing for art and cultural heritage demonstrate new engagement possibilities.
- Innovations like bioconductive inks blur boundaries between art and technology, enabling interactive cultural materials.
The Role of Arts and Humanities
- Arts and humanities are essential for understanding and adapting to digital change.
- Cultural capital is as important as economic capital, and digital technologies help unlock and exploit it.
- The synergy between creative industries and humanities research has driven recent UK success stories.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Digital Humanities — the study of how digital technologies impact arts, culture, and the humanities.
- Cultural Heritage — the legacy of tangible and intangible cultural assets from past generations.
- Bioconductive Ink — a type of ink that conducts electricity, enabling interactive artworks.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review current digital humanities projects and research in your field.
- Read about the impact of 3D printing and other digital tools on cultural heritage.
- Consider the implications of web commercialization on information access for future assignments.