In all humanities disciplines, scholars find themselves confronted with the rapidly increasing availability of digital resources (data), new technologies to interrogate and analyze them (tools), and the question of how to engage with these developments. The field of Jewish Studies is no exception.
Even if applications of computing in the humanities go back at least 60 years, the digitisation boom of the last ten to fifteen years, and the rapid advancement of digital tools to analyse data in myriad ways, have opened up new avenues for humanities research, including Jewish Studies. How can these digital developments be harnessed to address specific questions and problems in our field? And what is the current state of the art?
To probe these, and other, questions, the international conference #DHJewish - Jewish Studies in the Digital Age will bring together scholars and heritage practitioners to discuss how the digital turn affects the field of Jewish Studies.
We welcome submissions that discuss and demonstrate specific projects and approaches, as well as those that address broader methodological and epistemological issues pertaining to the intersection of Jewish Studies and Digital Humanities, in any of the following formats:
- Long papers (abstracts of 1000 words maximum, paper presentation 20 mins + 10 mins for discussion) are suitable for presenting empirical work, methodological and epistemological reflections. The research presented in a long paper should be completed or in the final stages of development.
- Short papers (abstracts of 500 words, paper presentation 10 mins + 5 mins for discussion) are suited for project presentations, and reporting on early stage and ongoing research.
- Round tables (abstracts of 1000 words) which bring together a group of practitioners/ researchers (ideally both) to discuss particular methodological and/or epistemological challenges.
- Posters (abstracts of 500 words) are particularly suited for detailed technical explanations and clarifications, and for the show and tell of projects and research alike.
- Demonstrations (abstracts of 500 words) of projects, tools, datasets, digital publications and so forth.
Abstracts should clearly state the title and name and affiliation of the author(s) and indicate for which format the proposal is submitted. You can upload your abstract through the Easychair conference management system (see instructions here).
The conference is organised on occasion of the launch of the #DHJewish website, which is currently being developed at the C²DH, and which will offer a variety of different types of information on the intersection of Jewish Studies & Digital Humanities, including a news and events section, a registry of projects, blogs & forums, as well as a Zotero bibliography.
A limited number of travel grants is available for PhD students and early career scholars, especially those from outside Europe, North America or Israel (please contact the organisers if you wish to be considered).
The conference is organised as a regular ‘physical’ conference. Pending new developments with regard to Covid-19, however, the conference might move exclusively online. In any case, the organisers will accept a limited number of virtual papers to include colleagues that might otherwise not be able to participate at all.
Following the conference, we plan to publish an edited volume with selected papers with DeGruyter in the C²DH Digital History and Hermeneutics book series.
The conference and website are made possible thanks to a Digital Humanities Resource Development and Enhancement grant from the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe.
Confirmed keynote speaker:
Prof. dr. Jeffrey Shandler (Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies, Rutgers University): Digitizing Holocaust Memories.
Important dates:
- 12 June 2020: Deadline for abstracts
- 24 July: Notification of acceptance
- 12-13 January 2021: Conference
- 15 February 2021: Deadline for full papers (if interested in possible publication in the edited volume)
Program committee:
- Dr. Gerben Zaagsma (Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History - C²DH)
- Prof. Dr. Irene Zwiep (University of Amsterdam)
- Prof. Dr. Daniel Stoekl Ben Ezra (École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris; Digital Forum, European Association for Jewish Studies)
- Prof. Dr. Miriam Rürup (Institut für die Geschichte der Deutschen Juden, Hamburg)
- Michelle Chesner (Norman E. Alexander Librarian for Jewish Studies, Columbia University; Association of Jewish Libraries)
- Dr. Gabor Kadar (Yerusha Project; Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe)
- Dr. Avi Shmidman (Bar-Ilan University)
- Dov Winer (Jewish Heritage Network/Judaica Europeana)
- Prof. Dr. Karin Hofmeester (International Institute for Social History)
- Dr. Sinai Rusinek (Haifa University)
- Amalia S. Levi (Founder and Chair, HeritEdge Connection)
- Dr. Rachel Deblinger (Modern Endangered Archives Program, University of California Los Angeles Library)
- Dr. Anna Meny (Institut für die Geschichte der Deutschen Juden, Hamburg)
Contact:
For any questions, please contact Gerben Zaagsma at: dhjewish2021[at]gmail.com.
