[First announcement I've seen - expect it will be making the rounds, apologies for cross-posting]

Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations Digital Humanities 2009 Call for Papers Hosted by the Maryland institute of Technology in the Humanities (MITH) University of Maryland, College Park, USA

22-25 June, 2009 http://www.mith2.umd.edu/dh09/

Abstract Deadline: October 31, 2008 (Midnight GMT) Presentations can include: • Single papers (abstract max of 1500 words) • Multiple paper sessions (overview max of 500 words) • Posters (abstract max of 1500 words)

Call for Papers Announcement I. General

The international Programme Committee invites submissions of abstracts of between 750 and 1500 words on any aspect of digital humanities, broadly defined to encompass the common ground between information technology and problems in humanities research and teaching. As always, we welcome submissions in any area of the humanities, particularly interdisciplinary work. We especially encourage submissions on the current state of the art in digital humanities, and on recent new developments and expected future developments in the field.

Suitable subjects for proposals include, for example, * text analysis, corpora, corpus linguistics, language processing, language learning * libraries, archives and the creation, delivery, management and preservation of humanities digital resources * computer-based research and computing applications in all areas of literary, linguistic, cultural, and historical studies, including electronic literature and interdisciplinary aspects of modern scholarship * use of computation in such areas as the arts, architecture, music, film, theatre, new media, and other areas reflecting our cultural heritage * research issues such as: information design and modelling; the cultural impact of the new media; software studies; Human-Computer interaction * the role of digital humanities in academic curricula * digital humanities and diversity

The range of topics covered by digital humanities can also be consulted in the journal of the associations: Literary and Linguistic Computing (LLC), Oxford University Press.

The deadline for submitting paper, session and poster proposals to the Programme Committee is October 31, 2008. All submissions will be refereed. Presenters will be notified of acceptance February 13, 2009. The electronic submission form will be available at the conference site from October 1st, 2008. See below for full details on submitting proposals.

Proposals for (non-refereed, or vendor) demos and for pre-conference tutorials and workshops should be discussed directly with the local conference organizer as soon as possible.

For more information on the conference in general please visit the conference web site.

II. Types of Proposals

Proposals to the Programme Committee may be of three types: (1) papers, (2) poster presentations and/or software demonstrations, and (3) sessions (either three-paper or panel sessions). The type of submission must be specified in the proposal.

Papers and posters may be given in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish.

1) Papers

Proposals for papers (750-1500 words) should describe original work: either completed research which has given rise to substantial results, or the development of significant new methodologies, or rigorous theoretical, speculative or critical discussions. Individual papers will be allocated 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for questions.

Proposals that concentrate on the development of new computing methodologies should make clear how the methodologies are applied to research and/or teaching in the humanities, and should include some critical assessment of the application of those methodologies in the humanities. Those that concentrate on a particular application in the humanities should cite traditional as well as computer-based approaches to the problem and should include some critical assessment of the computing methodologies used. All proposals should include conclusions and references to important sources. Those describing the creation or use of digital resources should follow these guidelines as far as possible.

2) Poster Presentations and Software Demonstrations

Poster presentations may include computer technology and project demonstrations. Hence the term poster/demo to refer to the different possible combinations of printed and computer based presentations. There should be no difference in quality between poster/demo presentations and papers, and the format for proposals is the same for both. The same academic standards should apply in both cases, but posters/demos may be a more suitable way of presenting late-breaking results, or significant work in progress, including pedagogical applications. Both will be submitted to the same refereeing process. The choice between the two modes of presentation (poster/demo or paper) should depend on the most effective and informative way of communicating the scientific content of the proposal.

By definition, poster presentations are less formal and more interactive than a standard talk. Poster presenters have the opportunity to exchange ideas one-on-one with attendees and to discuss their work in detail with those most deeply interested in the same topic. Presenters will be provided with about two square meters of board space to display their work. They may also provide handouts with examples or more detailed information. Posters will remain on display throughout the conference, but there will also be a separate conference session dedicated to them, when presenters should be prepared to explain their work and answer questions. Additional times may also be assigned for software or project demonstrations.

The poster sessions will build on the recent trend of showcasing some of the most important and innovative work being done in digital humanities.

As an acknowledgement of the special contribution of the posters to the conference, the Programme Committee will award a prize for the best poster.

3) Sessions

Sessions (90 minutes) take the form of either:

Three papers. The session organizer should submit a 500-word statement describing the session topic, include abstracts of 750-1500 words for each paper, and indicate that each author is willing to participate in the session;

or A panel of four to six speakers. The panel organizer should submit an abstract of 750-1500 words describing the panel topic, how it will be organized, the names of all the speakers, and an indication that each speaker is willing to participate in the session.

The deadline for session proposals is the same as for proposals for papers, i.e. October 31st, 2008.

III. Format of the Proposals

All proposals must be submitted electronically using the on-line submission form, which will be available at the conference web site http://www.mith2.umd.edu/dh09/ from October 1st, 2008. Anyone who has previously used the conftool system to submit proposals or reviews should use their existing account rather than setting up a new one. If anyone has forgotten their user name and/or password please contact dh2009@digitalhumanities.org. IV. Information about the conference venue: MITH University of Maryland Celebrating its 10th anniversary as a working digital humanities center, MITH is the University of Maryland's primary intellectual hub for scholars and practitioners of digital humanities, electronic literature, and cyberculture, as well as the headquarters of the Electronic Literature Organization. Having fostered numerous early adopter projects in the field, MITH continues to innovate with new work on tools, text analysis, electronic editing, virtual worlds, digital preservation, and cyberinfrastructure.

V. Bursaries for Young Scholars A limited number of bursaries for young scholars will be made available to those presenting at the conference by the Association of Digital Humanities Organisations. (AHDO) If you wish to apply for a bursary please submit a proposal and indicate your interest in the scheme by emailing dh2009@digitalhumanities.org. More information for applicants will be available from the ADHO website (http://www.digitalhumanities.org/) after November 1st 2008.

International Programme Committee

Brett Barney (ACH) Willard McCarty (ACH) Michael Eberle-Sinatra (SDH-SEMI) John Nerbonne (ALLC: Vice Chair) Jan Rybicki (ALLC) Paul Spence (ALLC) Allen Renear (ACH) Stéfan Sinclair (SDH-SEMI) Claire Warwick (ACH: Chair)