https://youtu.be/RieWjOkmBko
Humanities scholars traditionally explain their arguments through text written form, and they use visual effects as evidence to support the written argument. Nathan Yau argues that data visualization in digital humanities transforms the presentation of scholarly arguments by giving scholars the room to make visual arguments [1].
Elizabeth L. Eisenstein quoted in Stephan Tanaka’s article explains that “all view of history has been fundamentally shaped by the way records are duplicated, knowledge transmitted, and information stored and retrieved” [2].
The above arguments have attracted my attention throughout the fellowship experience. During my map-making process, I reflect a lot on how my map makes an argument. I think about the ways my sources and the way I analyze and present them affect the presentation and outlook of the migration history in Southern Africa the digital. On data visualization in humanities, the major questions are that what purpose does it serve? Many would think that data visualization adds aesthetics to a document and provides illustrative examples. However, thinking about digital visualization as a platform to make a visual scholarly argument strengthens the argument on the usefulness of the DH in transforming humanist studies [3].
My practical experience with map-making affirms that it is very possible to make a visual and interactive argument. Presenting data in a different form comes with another benefit, it permits me to think or see the information in new ways that improve how I articulate and study migration. When if completed the initial stages of my map which was attaching migration data to specific geographical flows I started realizing some important factors I would have not thought about had the data not been visually presented. Seeing the migration flows against ethnic boundaries that ran against political boundaries led me to think about migration routes that connected ethnic boundaries, separate from mainstream migration routes. Thinking about migration routes led me into thinking about the ways Africans created routes from their original precolonial routing systems which were separate from the well-known routes created by the colonial government in satisfying their needs. Paying attention to routes will better y understanding of migration networks and patterns in the Southern African region.
My major takeaway goes back to Elizabeth Eisenstein’s own reflection that, the way information is presented affects the way we analyze the information [4]. Having the data presented in two different ways offers two different variables of analyzing the data which leaves the scholar more rounded than before. This mapping project has led me to ask more questions about an area of study that many would consider over-exploited. It, therefore, gives more room for me to have a clear focus and contribute to new original arguments that continues to shape the history of migration in Southern Africa. The direction I am taking is going to be very important in making a case for my prospectus.
The most exciting path of the fellowship experience was the weekly classes we had, I met new people and made friends. I learned about project management and ways to put myself out there after creating Digital projects. I have also been able to seriously think about royalties and respect for born-digital projects.
References
[1] Yau Nathan, Visualize This: The Flowing Data Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics, John Wiley and Sons Incorporated publishers, Indianapolis, 2011.
[2] Tanaka Stefan, “Pasts in a Digital Age”, in Writing History in a Digital Age, edited by Jack Dougherty and Kristen Nawrotzki, Open review, 2012,p.1.
[3] Yau Nathan, Visualize This: The Flowing Data Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics, John Wiley and Sons Incorporated publishers, Indianapolis, 2011.
[4]Tanaka Stefan, “Pasts in a Digital Age”, in Writing History in a Digital Age, edited by Jack Dougherty and Kristen Nawrotzki, Open review, 2012, p.1.