This workshop brings together researchers using spatial data and/or data visualizations in their projects and would like to share experiences and methodological reflections in a practice-oriented discussion. Working with spatial data has played an increasingly important role in the humanities and social sciences over the last two decades, without yet developing into a coherent field of research. There are various reasons for this: in historically oriented research spatial data is often unavailable, fragmented, or vague. The collection of data and metadata and its synchronization can be a long and arduous process, in particular when drawing on various media such as text, images, and maps, or video and sound recordings (of interviews, for instance). Combining qualitative and quantitative research has its challenges, and integrating data analysis with other methodologies requires a certain flexibility of the research question and focus. Acquiring the necessary skills and the process of data collection and analysis takes up time and resources and can be especially challenging in smaller projects without expert staff and interdisciplinary expertise.
In view of this, the workshop provides a forum to discuss approaches and outcomes, as well as the cost-benefit ratio of investigating spatialization processes with digital methods and tools. We are explicitly addressing not only researchers who have already successfully completed their research but also those who are still exploring possible avenues or would like to discuss intermediate results. We will focus on the following questions: what are the benefits, challenges, and best practices in data collection, analysis, and visualization? What is the role of spatial data and visualizations in the research process? What spatial imaginations come into play in the source material, while processing and analyzing the data, and in its visualization and publication? What methodological issues arise when working with spatial data across different media? How is all this related to research impact and the publication of research results and data in different media and outlets?
We are planning a three-hour workshop as part of the annual conference “Mediating Spatial Imaginations” of the Collaborative Research Center 1199, which will take place from 27 to 29 September 2022 at Leipzig University. Please send us a brief statement of interest (ca. 200 words) until May 20, 2022. The workshop will not require full papers, but will be based on short input papers and presentations as well as a hands-on discussion among participants.
Organizers:
Antje Dietze adietze@uni-leipzig.de
Ninja Steinbach-Hüther N_Steinbachhuether@leibniz-ifl.de
Julius Wilm julius.wilm@uni-leipzig.de