Course – Computational Literary Studies

Computational Literary Studies

Prof. dr. Karina van Dalen-Oskam

University of Amsterdam, February-April 2014; for RMA and PhD-students
Registration: osl-fgw@uva.nl

Scholars working in computational literary studies make use of computer software that helps them to analyze digital textual data. Software can support the exploration of a much larger amount of data in systematics way than was possible before. In this course, students will get introduced to the most important current approaches in computational literary studies, ranging from the analysis of style and methods for the verification and attribution of authorship to various forms of ‘distant reading’ and discourse analysis. Case studies will be devoted to the authorship of the ‘Wilhelmus’, stylistic variation in the works of Arnon Grunberg and trends in the titles of novels through the centuries.

The first part of the course explores the new horizons and possibilities as well as the limitations of computational approaches in literary studies. Several computational tools will be demonstrated such as concordance software that can be used for discourse analytical approaches and specialized R-scripts for authorship attribution and stylistic analysis. The questions to be addressed in the first four sessions of the seminar include: How can different authors be distinguished from each other using computational tools? In which ways do their writing styles exactly differ? What are the options for computer-assisted discourse analysis? What kinds of reasoning and logic play a role when computational tools are applied and what are their epistemological implications? How can be evaluate the results of the new methods and techniques?

The second part of the course is optional and more practical. In workshop-like meetings in the UvA computer lab, students will conduct small research projects of their own. In this way, they will learn to use the computational tools themselves and gain practical experience with their possibilities and limitations. The research projects can be devoted to the cases presented in the first part of the course but also be proposed by the students themselves.

Course objectives:

  • Students learn to employ empirical and computational methods in literary studies, including the selection of tools and the reflection on their possibilities and limitations.
  • Students get an overview of international discussions in the fields of computational literary studies and digital humanities and learn to relate their research to these debates.
  • Students learn to reflect on the relation of research questions and digital methods in literary studies.

Program

February 3: Introduction to Computational Literary Studies

Oost-Indischhuis (Kloveniersburgwal 48), VOC zaal

14.00–15.45:

  • Prof. Dr Karina van Dalen-Oskam (University of Amsterdam/Huygens ING): Introduction
  • Prof. Dr Goffe Jensma (Groningen University): Authorship problems around the Oera Linda-book

16.00–16.45: Discussion session (only for students who registered for the course)

February 17: Authorship attribution, verification, and profiling

Bijzondere Collecties (Oude Turfmarkt 129), Nina van Leerzaal

14.00–15.45:

  • Prof. Dr Karina van Dalen-Oskam: Introduction
  • Prof. Dr Els Stronks (Utrecht University): Authorship of the Wilhelmus

16.00–16.45: Discussion session (only for students who registered for the course)
March 3: Computational analysis of literary style

Location: Oost-Indischhuis (Kloveniersburgwal 48), VOC zaal

14.00–15.45:

  • Prof. Dr Karina van Dalen-Oskam: Introduction
  • Joris van Zundert MA (Huygens ING): Formalization and modeling in computational literary studies

16.00–16.45: Discussion session (only for students who registered for the course)

March 17: From style to discourse analysis

Oost-Indischhuis (Kloveniersburgwal 48), VOC zaal

14.00–15.45:

  • Prof. Dr Karina van Dalen-Oskam: Introduction
  • Dr Bram Mellink (Utrecht University): Discourse analysis in the project Reference Cultures

16.00–16.45: Discussion session (only for students who registered for the course)

April 14 & 28 (14:00-17:00): Workshop in the UvA computer lab, PC Hoofthuis 2.10 (only for students who registered for the course)

*

All lectures are open to the general public.

Registration for RMA and PhD-students: osl-fgw@uva.nl.

Students receive 2 ec for active participation (readings and small assignments) in the first four meetings on Feb 3 & 17 and March 3 & 17 and an additional 2 ec for participation in the workshops on April 14 & 28 and the preparation of a final assignment (= paper of 1500 words).