Digital Humanities 2009 CFP

Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations
Digital Humanities 2009
Call for Papers
Hosted by the Maryland institute of Technology in the Humanities (MITH)
University of Maryland, College Park, USA

22-25 June, 2009
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/dh09/

Abstract Deadline: October 31, 2008 (Midnight GMT)
Presentations can include:
• Single papers (abstract max of 1500 words)
• Multiple paper sessions (overview max of 500 words)
• Posters (abstract max of 1500 words)

Call for Papers Announcement
I. General

The international Programme Committee invites submissions of abstracts
of between 750 and 1500 words on any aspect of digital humanities,
broadly defined to encompass the common ground between information
technology and problems in humanities research and teaching. As
always, we welcome submissions in any area of the humanities,
particularly interdisciplinary work. We especially encourage
submissions on the current state of the art in digital humanities, and
on recent new developments and expected future developments in the
field.

Suitable subjects for proposals include, for example,
* text analysis, corpora, corpus linguistics, language processing,
language learning
* libraries, archives and the creation, delivery, management and
preservation of humanities digital resources
* computer-based research and computing applications in all areas of
literary, linguistic, cultural, and historical studies, including
electronic literature and interdisciplinary aspects of modern
scholarship
* use of computation in such areas as the arts, architecture, music,
film, theatre, new media, and other areas reflecting our cultural
heritage
* research issues such as: information design and modelling; the
cultural impact of the new media; software studies; Human-Computer
interaction
* the role of digital humanities in academic curricula
* digital humanities and diversity

The range of topics covered by digital humanities can also be
consulted in the journal of the associations: Literary and Linguistic
Computing (LLC), Oxford University Press.

The deadline for submitting paper, session and poster proposals to the
Programme Committee is October 31, 2008. All submissions will be
refereed. Presenters will be notified of acceptance February 13, 2009.
The electronic submission form will be available at the conference
site from October 1st, 2008. See below for full details on submitting
proposals.

Proposals for (non-refereed, or vendor) demos and for pre-conference
tutorials and workshops should be discussed directly with the local
conference organizer as soon as possible.

For more information on the conference in general please visit the
conference web site.

II. Types of Proposals

Proposals to the Programme Committee may be of three types: (1)
papers, (2) poster presentations and/or software demonstrations, and
(3) sessions (either three-paper or panel sessions). The type of
submission must be specified in the proposal.

Papers and posters may be given in English, French, German, Italian
or Spanish.

1) Papers

Proposals for papers (750-1500 words) should describe original work:
either completed research which has given rise to substantial results,
or the development of significant new methodologies, or rigorous
theoretical, speculative or critical discussions. Individual papers
will be allocated 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for
questions.

Proposals that concentrate on the development of new computing
methodologies should make clear how the methodologies are applied to
research and/or teaching in the humanities, and should include some
critical assessment of the application of those methodologies in the
humanities. Those that concentrate on a particular application in the
humanities should cite traditional as well as computer-based
approaches to the problem and should include some critical assessment
of the computing methodologies used. All proposals should include
conclusions and references to important sources. Those describing the
creation or use of digital resources should follow these guidelines as
far as possible.

2) Poster Presentations and Software Demonstrations

Poster presentations may include computer technology and project
demonstrations. Hence the term poster/demo to refer to the different
possible combinations of printed and computer based presentations.
There should be no difference in quality between poster/demo
presentations and papers, and the format for proposals is the same for
both. The same academic standards should apply in both cases, but
posters/demos may be a more suitable way of presenting late-breaking
results, or significant work in progress, including pedagogical
applications. Both will be submitted to the same refereeing process.
The choice between the two modes of presentation (poster/demo or
paper) should depend on the most effective and informative way of
communicating the scientific content of the proposal.

By definition, poster presentations are less formal and more
interactive than a standard talk. Poster presenters have the
opportunity to exchange ideas one-on-one with attendees and to discuss
their work in detail with those most deeply interested in the same
topic. Presenters will be provided with about two square meters of
board space to display their work. They may also provide handouts with
examples or more detailed information. Posters will remain on display
throughout the conference, but there will also be a separate
conference session dedicated to them, when presenters should be
prepared to explain their work and answer questions. Additional times
may also be assigned for software or project demonstrations.

The poster sessions will build on the recent trend of showcasing some
of the most important and innovative work being done in digital
humanities.

As an acknowledgement of the special contribution of the posters to
the conference, the Programme Committee will award a prize for the
best poster.

3) Sessions

Sessions (90 minutes) take the form of either:

Three papers. The session organizer should submit a 500-word statement
describing the session topic, include abstracts of 750-1500 words for
each paper, and indicate that each author is willing to participate in
the session;

or
A panel of four to six speakers. The panel organizer should submit an
abstract of 750-1500 words describing the panel topic, how it will be
organized, the names of all the speakers, and an indication that each
speaker is willing to participate in the session.

The deadline for session proposals is the same as for proposals for
papers, i.e. October 31st, 2008.

III. Format of the Proposals

All proposals must be submitted electronically using the on-line
submission form, which will be available at the conference web site
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/dh09/ from October 1st, 2008.
Anyone who has previously used the conftool system to submit proposals
or reviews should
use their existing account rather than setting up a new one. If anyone
has forgotten their user name and/or password please contact
dh2009@digitalhumanities.org.
IV. Information about the conference venue: MITH University of Maryland
Celebrating its 10th anniversary as a working digital humanities
center, MITH is the University of Maryland's primary intellectual hub
for scholars and practitioners of digital humanities, electronic
literature, and cyberculture, as well as the headquarters of the
Electronic Literature Organization. Having fostered numerous early
adopter projects in the field, MITH continues to innovate with new
work on tools, text analysis, electronic editing, virtual worlds,
digital preservation, and cyberinfrastructure.

V. Bursaries for Young Scholars
A limited number of bursaries for young scholars will be made
available to those presenting at the conference by the Association of
Digital Humanities Organisations. (AHDO) If you wish to apply for a
bursary please submit a proposal and indicate your interest in the
scheme by emailing dh2009@digitalhumanities.org. More information for
applicants will be available from the ADHO website
(http://www.digitalhumanities.org/) after November 1st 2008.

International Programme Committee

Brett Barney (ACH)
Willard McCarty (ACH)
Michael Eberle-Sinatra (SDH-SEMI)
John Nerbonne (ALLC: Vice Chair)
Jan Rybicki (ALLC)
Paul Spence (ALLC)
Allen Renear (ACH)
Stéfan Sinclair (SDH-SEMI)
Claire Warwick (ACH: Chair)