This year’s course will focus on the origins of Artificial Intelligence and its relevance to Digital Humanities.

In this class, we will explore the technologies that scholars use for humanities and social science research, delving into their history, advantages, and limitations. Additionally, we will examine the main ongoing discussions in the field of digital humanities.

Take a look at the SYLLABUS.

None

No technical background is required.

This course is tailored for people who are interested in technology but may not have acquired prior experience in coding or data manipulation.

STRUCTURE

The course is structured as a seminar. Each class typically consists of one or more of these elements:

1. Discussion of essays, articles, and projects that students have read before the lesson. During this phase, we will analyze the provided materials and explore some of the most relevant digital humanities projects in a reverse-engineering fashion.
2. Lecture. The lecture will primarily focus on the historical and methodological aspects related to the tools that will be used in the upcoming classes.
3. In-class exercise. Participants start getting familiar with the tools they will use for their final projects.

The course is designed for participants with a diverse profile. It offers a critical overview of artificial intelligence and other technologies applied in the humanities, examining their uses, implications, and limitations. It also provides essential skills to support research in political science, modern and contemporary history, economics, and textual analysis.

The evaluation consists of two parts:

1) Class Participation and Midterm Test: Students are expected to engage in weekly in-class discussions and take a written midterm test, administered during the second half of the course. This component accounts for 70% of the final grade.

2) Final Examination: On one of the official exam days, students will critically discuss their final project. This will make up the remaining 30% of the final grade.

INFO AND POLICIES

• LECTURER: D. Sebastiani
• START: October 22, 2025
• END: November 28, 2025
• FORMAT: 18 lessons of 2 academic hours each.

• CONTACTS

• ATTENDANCE: It is crucial to attend class due to the course format. However, in case of any absences, we can work together to find a solution.
• SYLLABUS & MATERIALS
• ACCESSIBILITY: I am willing to work with you to accommodate any accessibility needs.

Upon completion of this course, you should possess the ability to:

• Handle and understand data sets.
• Conduct elementary text analysis.
• Fashion diverse forms of data visualizations.
• Produce interactive web-based maps.
• Write basic HTML and CSS, and publish a website.
• Comprehend the epistemological foundations of all aforementioned techniques.
• Describe and discuss the origins, current trends, and potential trajectories of digital humanities.