Editors' Choice

Editors’ Choice: Privileging Form Over Content: Analysing Historical Videogames

[T]his article is a call for a refocusing of academic work on historical videogames.  A call for an approach that does not get detained by primarily examining the particular historical content of each game (i.e. historical accuracy or what a game ‘says’ about a particular period it depicts) but instead tries to establish an analytical framework that privileges analysis of form (i.e. how the particular audio-visual-ludic structures of the game operate to produce meaning and allow the player to explore/configure discourse about the past). The benefit of this is that we do not just gain knowledge of a particular historical representation but instead, conclusions about form (a particular game-structure’s operations) are then transferable to an understanding of games made up of similar ludic (and audio-visual) elements.

CFPs & Conferences, News

CFParticipation: Linked Ancient World Data Institute

New York University’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) will host the Linked Ancient World Data Institute (LAWDI) from May 31st to June 2nd, 2012 in New York City. “Linked Open Data” is an approach to the creation of digital resources that emphasizes connections between diverse information on the basis of published and stable web addresses (URIs) that identify common concepts and individual items. LAWDI, funded by the Office of Digital Humanities of the National Endowment for Humanities, will bring together an international faculty of practitioners working in the field of Linked Data with twenty attendees who are implementing or planning the creation of digital resources.

Job Announcements, News

Job: Summer Internship Program, Berkman Center

Each summer the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University swings open the doors of our big yellow house to welcome a group of talented and curious students as full-time interns – Berkterns! – who are passionate about the promise of the Internet. Finding connected and complementary research inquiries among their diverse backgrounds, students represent all levels of study, are being trained in disciplines across the board, and come from universities all over the world to tackle issues related to the core of Berkman’s research agenda, including law, technology, innovation, and knowledge; the relationship between Internet and civic activity; and technology, law, and development.

Job Announcements, News

Job: Digital Archivist, Rockefeller Archive Center

The Rockefeller Archive Center invites applications for a Digital Archivist position. This individual will oversee the development and management of the Archive Center’s Digital Library, which will consist of digitized archival materials, born-digital archival materials, EAD finding aids, and thematic collections generated by Archive Center staff and scholars.

Funding & Opportunities, News

Opportunity: NITLE Innovation Studio leadership development program

To help prepare leaders who can collaborate, innovate, and produce concrete solutions to common problems, NITLE is launching a new leadership development program called the Innovation Studio. Inspired by start-up accelerators and project-based learning, the Innovation Studio offers a structure for librarians, information technologists, academic support staff, and other qualified candidates from across the NITLE Network to tackle thorny challenges. This competitive program is designed to produce two significant results: innovative solutions to critical issues in liberal education and a set of entrepreneurial, knowledgeable leaders well-prepared to help build a robust future for liberal education.

CFPs & Conferences, News

CFP: “Occupying Crossroads”: SDH-SEMI, CGSA, and FSAC/ACEC (Canada)

CGSA (Canadian Game Studies Association), SDH-SEMI (SDH/SEMI. Society for Digital Humanities / Société pour l’étude des médias interactifs) and FSAC/ACEC (Film Studies Association of Canada / Association Canadienne d’études Cinématographiques) are co-sponsoring a cross-listed joint panel at Congress 2012 (http://congress2012.ca/) focussed on the theme of “Occupying Crossroads”. Deadline February 1, 2012.

News, Resources

Resource: Documenting Digital History Project

This section contains a directory of digital historians, guidelines for evaluating digital scholarship, an index of digital scholarship, information on the National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Start-up Grant, Digital History project reviews, and new media tool reviews.