Ontologies

Ontologies for Diversity

Instructors:

Description:

This workshop dives into the Semantic Web with its possibilities for humanities research through exploring ontologies and vocabularies for Linked Open Data: how they are constructed, how they function in relation to data structure and creation, and how they impact dissemination and querying.  

Practical exercises will include ontology creation and extension, using ontologies in the creation of LOD or conversion of existing data using a range of tools, and the use of ontologies in data querying, analysis, and visualization. Discussions and reflection on class activities will work towards an understanding how ontologies both mobilize and constrain data, analyzing the implications of different ontologies as forms of modeling, and evaluating the suitability of particular ontologies for different approaches to research. We will be particularly concerned with the ability of ontologies to reflect the heterogeneity, specificity, and situatedness of humanities data, and to support critical approaches such as feminism, critical race, and indigenous studies.

This workshop is offered by the Linked Infrastructure for Networked Cultural Scholarship cyberinfrastructure project, which will be providing tools and methods for converting humanities datasets into LOD. Researchers are encouraged to bring content they are interested in mobilizing in the form of an essay, article, primary text for editing; XML (e.g. TEI or MODS) data; or a spreadsheet or CSV file. These will form the basis of discussions, analyses, and experimentation with tools.

Intended Audience:

Anyone with an interest in linked data, the semantic web, and how to represent humanities research in digital environments. Participants should come with some understanding of the principles and technologies of Linked Open Data.