Digital humanities, often described as the combination of technology and the humanities, is a complex topic. This broad and multifaceted field explores how technology can enhance our understanding of human culture. Some ways it does this include using digital tools, creating digital archives, and developing interactive narratives and digital art. Data visualization, for example, helps us grasp the true meaning of complex data sets, revealing stories hidden within numbers and statistics. Preserving our history is crucial for cultural development and human progress. By digitizing historical events, we create lasting significance for our achievements on this world. Interactive stories and multimedia productions, like online platforms, are effective combinations of storytelling and digital platforms that create engaging and accessible learning experiences.

Politics, on the other hand, is a multifaceted and complex concept, but at its core, it refers to the process by which groups make decisions and distribute power and resources. It encompasses the activities associated with collective decision-making, impacting large numbers of people. Decisions about power and resources are made collectively, determining how they will be distributed within a society. Politics involves authority, ideologies, and cooperation, which significantly shape our everyday lives. The people we elect to represent us have a significant impact on our lives.

Digital Humanities offers valuable tools for studying politics. One method is analyzing political discourse, which involves using computational tools to examine text and social media data to understand sentiments, trends, and ideologies. Additionally, we can map political networks, visualizing relationships between politicians, parties, and the general perception of candidates’ viability in elections. Statistical models are another popular tool, employed by news outlets and think tanks to predict election outcomes or interpret patterns of political participation. While not infallible, models like FiveThirtyEight by Nate Silver have gained popularity for providing election insights.

Questions we should ask are:
How accessible and equitable are these political digital tools?
Are these models bias, most likely they are and if so, how can we be more neutral?
How pervasive is misinformation and to a more sinister tone, disinformation to our political awareness?

A little bit about myself:
My name is Nelson Jarrín and I am majoring in Digital Humanities, this is my second to last semester. I currently work for a non for profit and our mission is to support the realization of human rights and social and economic justice for all people.
As I mentioned before, the intersection of politics and Digital Humanities fascinates me, especially given the upcoming US election year. I’m curious to see how digital tools will impact this election cycle. Will we continue using polls as reliable indicators of election outcomes? How will AI be used to raise awareness or scale outreach efforts by political parties towards younger generations? What particularly interests me is how propaganda might increase or if people will become more accustomed to it. Will platforms like TikTok and the influence of figures like Taylor Swift play a significant role? I’d love to hear everyone’s opinions on these questions!