Workshop on Network Analysis in the Humanities: registration now open

Registration is now open for the doctoral school workshop on network analysis in the humanities. The training introduces participants to applications of network theory in the humanities, with a particular focus on linguistics as well as literary and cultural studies. The lecturers include Matteo Romanello from the University of Zurich, and Maciej Eder, Botond Szemes, and Thiago Dumont Oliveira from the University of Tartu’s Center for Digital Text Scholarship (DigiTS).

The target group for the training includes PhD and Master's students in the humanities and social sciences, as well as academic staff from Estonian universities. Although prior programming experience is beneficial, it is not required.

The workshop consists of three days. The first day begins with an introductory lecture that provides a conceptual and methodological overview of the field and presents key concepts, models, and research questions. This is followed by presentations demonstrating how network-based approaches can be applied to different types of data and research problems. Botond Szemes will introduce character networks in dramatic texts and their analytical possibilities, Maciej Eder will discuss methods for analyzing textual similarity using network models, and Matteo Romanello, the keynote speaker of the event, will address the analysis of citation networks and their role in mapping scholarly communication. His presentation explores the patterns that emerge from references in large corpora of scientific publications and how these patterns can be used to understand processes of knowledge production and dissemination in an academic context.

The second and third days of the workshop are dedicated to developing practical skills. The sessions will cover data preparation and the types of data suitable for network analysis. Participants will also be introduced to the use of the visualization tool Gephi. Network metrics will also be discussed, including their calculation, interpretation, and application, enabling participants to integrate quantitative network analysis into their research projects. Participants will also have the opportunity for individual consultations with the lecturers.

The training is free of charge for the target group, and accommodation is provided for participants coming from outside Tartu.

Register here

Registration is open until 15.04.2026.

The initial schedule and additional information about the event can be found on the DigiTS website: https://digits.ut.ee/network-analysis-workshop/

The event is organised with the support of the Estonian Doctoral School (Project “Cooperation between universities to promote doctoral studies” (2021-2027.4.04.24-0003) is co-funded by the European Union). The event is organised by DigiTS (Center for Digital Text Scholarship, funded by the European Union) operating at the University of Tartu Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics and the University of Tartu Institute of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Department of Classical Studies. The organisers include Prof. Liina Lindström and Prof. Janika Päll.