Abstract

Sciences in the 21st century are repeatedly described as data-intensive sciences. In recent years this also applies to the humanities. However, data-intensive sciences are only more than a promise if they can be modelled. To this end, data must form a representative and balanced corpus, it must be possible to formalise, visualise and re-use data. Libraries have large quantities of reliable data that can be condensed into corpora, formalised and shared. Libraries thus become an essential part of a data-intensive humanities. My talk outlines the new ways of integrating libraries into research processes in the humanities.

Biography

Gerhard Lauer is professor of Digital Humanities at the University of Basel. After studying German language and literature, philosophy, musicology and Jewish studies, he received his doctorate with a thesis on the history of science in exile and wrote his second book on the literary history of early modern Judaism. From 2002 to 2017 he taught German Philology at the University of Göttingen, since 2017 Digital Humanities in Basel. His most recent publication are "Wilhelm von Humboldt. Schriften zur Bildung" (2017), "Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. Race and Natural History 1750-1850", (2019, edited together with Nicolaas Rupke), "Lesen im digitalen Zeitalter" (in print)