CLS INFRA training SCHOOL

ExploreCor: Using Programmable Corpora in Computational Literary Studies
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CCLS2024 (Annual Conference of Computational Literary Studies)

ACDH-CH OEAW
Vienna 10-14 June 2024

ExploreCor: Using Programmable Corpora in Computational Literary Studies” is a three-day academic training school, organized by the CLS Infra project, taking place in Vienna in from June 10-12, 2024. This intensive program covers some of the most important steps in the research cycle of Computational Literary Studies, focusing on “Programmable Corpora” – dynamic collections of literary texts manipulated programmatically. Participants will delve into finding, evaluating, and selecting corpora using tools like the CLSCor metadata catalogue and DraCor. The curriculum spans from learning how to use Python and Jupyter Notebooks for analysis, querying and retrieving data via APIs to working with Linked Open Data and how to conduct Digital Literary Network Analysis. Addressing the Reproducibility Crisis, the training school introduces Docker for research encapsulation. Attendees gain practical skills to conduct transparent and replicable research, contributing to the advancement of Computational Literary Studies.

Applications for the 2024 Training School in Vienna are currently under review. Notifications will be sent by email mid-March.

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ExploreCor: Using Programmable Corpora in Computational Literary Studies

The academic training school, “ExploreCor: Using Programmable Corpora in Computational Literary Studies,” is set to take place in Vienna June 10-12 2024, spanning three intensive days. This unique program is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the entire research cycle in Computational Literary Studies, equipping them with the skills needed to navigate the evolving landscape of digital humanities.

The training school begins by delving into the critical process of finding and evaluating corpora of literary texts. Participants will explore the concept of Programmable Corpora, a pivotal aspect of the curriculum. Programmable Corpora are dynamic collections of literary works that can be manipulated programmatically, allowing for customized and nuanced analyses.

The curriculum progresses to the formulation of research questions and the subsequent execution of analyses using Python and Jupyter Notebooks. Attendees will utilize the tool DraCor, designed for efficient and flexible literary text analysis. Additionally, the training incorporates the CLSCor catalogue, a Linked Data-powered resource developed within the CLS INFRA project, enabling students to explore and select corpora for their research.

An integral component of the training focuses on APIs and Linked Data, emphasizing the interconnected nature of literary datasets. Students will engage in exemplary research projects using the DraCor system, gaining hands-on experience in exploring networks generated based on dramatic texts. The training school addresses the issue of Repeatable Research, a challenge in the Digital Humanities landscape, and explores methods to ensure research replicability.

Digital Literary Network Analysis is a key topic covered in the program, providing participants with the tools to uncover intricate relationships within literary texts. A dedicated segment addresses the Reproducibility Crisis in Digital Humanities, underscoring the importance of transparent and replicable research practices.

To ensure the longevity and accessibility of research outcomes, the training school introduces Docker as a valuable tool. Participants will learn how to leverage Docker to encapsulate their research environments, enhancing the reproducibility of their findings.

“ExploreCor” is an immersive and interdisciplinary training school that aims to empower scholars in Computational Literary Studies. By combining theoretical foundations with practical applications, participants will leave equipped to navigate the complexities of programmable corpora, digital literary analysis, and reproducible research, contributing to the ongoing advancement of the field.

Annual Conference of Computational Literary Studies

Directly after the CLS Infra Training School the 3nd Annual Conference of Computational Literary Studies (CCLS2024) will take place from June 13-14, 2024, in Vienna. This is a wonderful opportunity for participants to take part in a conference dedicated to topics in the field of CLS. The CCLS is the annual conference of the Journal of Computational Literary Studies (JCLS), an international, open access, peer-reviewed online journal dedicated to all aspects of computational approaches to Literary Studies. JCLS responds to the increasing differentiation of subfields within the Digital Humanities, an ongoing process in which Computational Literary Studies has already gained considerable maturity and visibility.

JCLS provides a publishing platform for work on the development, the application, and the critique of computational approaches to Literary Studies. The journal seeks to expand the spectrum of computational methods for the analysis of literary texts and their (cultural, social, historical, performative) contexts with innovative methods appropriate to the subject. It provides a forum to address issues such as building literary corpora, identifying peculiarities of literary texts, domain adaptation of methods, operationalization of concepts, annotation of texts, evaluation of measures, interpretability and transparency of results, and reproducibility of research. JCLS also acknowledges the debatability of the core concepts of Computational Literary Studies, computationality and literarity, and encourages submissions addressing these from historical, cultural and other perspectives.” (cited from: https://jcls.io/). Please check the Call for Papers as well as the conference website for further information.

Event Details

Training school team

Beine, Julia Jennifer: Freie Universität Berlin

Carloni, Massimiliano: Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage (ACDH-CH), OEAW

Charvát, Vera Maria: Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage (ACDH-CH), OEAW

Dijkstra, Anna: CLS INFRA Training School Coordinator, Huygens Instituut- KNAW

Ďurčo, Matej: Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage (ACDH-CH), OEAW

Fischer, Frank: Freie Universität Berlin

Giovannini, Luca: University of Potsdam, University of Padova

Plank, Lukas: Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage (ACDH-CH), OEAW

Resch, Stefan: Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage (ACDH-CH), OEAW

Schwindt, Mark: Freie Universität Berlin

Skorinkin, Daniil: University of Potsdam

Sluyter-Gäthje, Henny: University of Potsdam

Woldrich, Anna: Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage (ACDH-CH), OEAW

Illmer, Viktor J.: Freie Universität Berlin

FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers

What do I bring/prepare for the training?

Please bring a laptop computer and suitable adapters for European socket outlets (should you need them).
If you would like to work on your own corpora or documents, please take them with you in digital form (link to a repository, USB stick, etc.).

What is the cost of attendance?

Participation of the CLS Infra Training School is free.
Lunch and 2 Coffee breaks and refreshments each day are included as well as snacks and drinks at the “Get Together” on Wednesday, 12th of June 2023
Please find more information on accommodation and travel reimbursements in the texts below.

Travel Reimbursement

Please note that we have a limited budget for the reimbursement of travel expenses.
If possible, travel expenses should be handled/covered by your respective institution.
In special cases, we may grant a reimbursement of up to €300 for travels from abroad within the available budget limits.
Participants travelling within Austria may apply for a CLARIAH-AT travel grant.
Participants applying for any of the above mentioned reimbursement possibilities are requested to pre-finance the travel costs and submit the corresponding invoices.

I’m wondering if this is the right course for me. Who do I contact?

More information will follow. Contact Coordinator Anna Dijkstra with logistics questions (anna.dijkstra[at]huygens.knaw.nl)

Where does the training take place?

At the Campus of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage.

Address: 1010 Vienna, Bäckerstraße 13 (Seminar room 1+2 on ground-floor level)

Who will my teachers be?

See the Team section above.

Can I follow along with the workshop remotely without signing up? / Will recordings of the workshop be available?

Due to the personalized and tailor-made nature of this training school, there will be no public live-stream of the sessions. However, the DARIAH-Campus platform will host training materials and recordings of plenary sessions post-event. See here for training materials from our Prague training school and here for the materials from our Madrid training school.
When registering for the training school, participants will be given the opportunity to allow or deny permission to appear in recordings of the event.

I have dietary requirements, will these be accommodated?

Please state your dietary requirements in the application form. Vegetarian and vegan options will be offered in any case, but we will also try to accommodate any special requests as best we can.

Can I see the schedule of events?

See the section Training School Schedule above.

Can I attend one (or more) workshop days?

We ask you to attend all workshop days to deliver you the most complete and integrated learning experience.

Are any social events planned?

We are planning to have a “Get Together” on Wednesday, 12th of June 2024 evening in the courtyard of the ACDH-CH

More details will follow.

Until when do I have to decide to sign up?

Applications opened 15 Jan 2024.
Applications closed 15 Feb 2024.
Notification of acceptance will be sent by Mid-Mar 2024.

I’d like to engage with the Training School on social media: how can I do so?

Please find our project at twitter.com/CLSinfra and fedihum.org/@CLSinfra When posting about the training school, please use hashtag #CLSInfraTraining!

Vienna Training School is the third of a training school series hosted by the European infrastructure project CLS INFRA. Read more about our objectives here.

If I have any other question, where do I direct it?

Please reach out to our Training School contact Anna Dijkstra: anna.dijkstra[at]huygens.knaw.nl

Previous training schoolS

Charles University, Prague

7-9 June 2022
Data And Annotation

Participants in the 2022 training school learned to build, edit, annotate, and query a text corpus without a single line of code! Structure texts with the XML-TEI. Run an NLP tool to add linguistic information. Tackle real research questions concerning Shakespeare’s dramas or your own data by mastering CQL and Universal Dependencies. These discipline-wide standards were experienced hands-on in TEITOK , KonText, and UDPipe .

View materials and recordings from the 2022 Training School.

UNED, Madrid

9-11 May 2023 Digging for Gold: Knowledge Extraction from Text

From 9-11 May 2023, CLS INFRA offered a crash course in how to “Dig for Gold” in a corpus of texts. From Stylometry to Natural Language Processing, participants completed their own analyses and visualisations of the results in a hands-on way. We worked with existing code that is plug and play, so it was not necessary to have existing experience in Python or R. Most of all, it was a fun and safe environment to boost textual analysis skills.

Training materials and recordings will be available soon.

Would you like to get a sense of what you can expect from a CLS INFRA Training School? Check out these videos featuring participants from our previous training schools.