Oral History and the hidden histories project: towards histories of computing in the Humanities

This article demonstrates that the history of computing in the humanities is an almost uncharted research topic. It argues that this oversight must be remedied as a matter of urgency so that the evolutionary model of progress that currently dominates the field can be countered. We describe the ‘Hidden Histories’ pilot project and explore the origins and practice of oral history; in the corresponding issue of Digital Humanities Quarterly, five oral history interviews that we carried out during the project are presented. We conclude that the selection of interviews presented here demonstrate that oral history is an important and productive methodology in such research. The five oral history interviews form primary sources, which can be used in the writing of a history of computing in the humanities; furthermore, they contain new information and interpretations, which cannot be gleaned from published scholarly articles, for example, information about the varied entry routes into the field that have existed and the interrelationship between myth and history in the narratives we create about the emergence of digital humanities

Increased Mortality Exposure within the Family Rather than Individual Mortality Experiences Triggers Faster Life-History Strategies in Historic Human Populations

Life History Theory predicts that extrinsic mortality risk is one of the most important factors shaping (human) life histories. Evidence from contemporary populations suggests that individuals confronted with high mortality environments show characteristic traits of fast life-history strategies: they marry and reproduce earlier, have shorter birth intervals and invest less in their offspring. However, little is known of the impact of mortality experiences on the speed of life histories in historical human populations with generally higher mortality risk, and on male life histories in particular. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether individual-level mortality experiences within the family have a greater effect on life-history decisions or family membership explains life-history variation. In a comparative approach using event history analyses, we study the impact of family versus individual-level effects of mortality exposure on two central life-history parameters, ages at first marriage and first birth, in three historical human populations (Germany, Finland, Canada). Mortality experience is measured as the confrontation with sibling deaths within the natal family up to an individual's age of 15. Results show that the speed of life histories is not adjusted according to individual-level mortality experiences but is due to family-level effects. The general finding of lower ages at marriage/reproduction after exposure to higher mortality in the family holds for both females and males. This study provides evidence for the importance of the family environment for reproductive timing while individual-level mortality experiences seem to play only a minor role in reproductive life history decisions in humans

Origin of enhanced dynamic nuclear polarization and all-optical nuclear magnetic resonance in GaAs quantum wells

Time-resolved optical measurements of electron-spin dynamics in a (110) GaAs quantum well are used to study the consequences of a strongly anisotropic electron g-tensor, and the origin of previously discovered all-optical nuclear magnetic resonance. All components of the g-tensor are measured, and a strong anisotropy even along the in-plane directions is found. The amplitudes of the spin signal allow the study of the spatial directions of the injected spin and its precession axis. Surprisingly efficient dynamic nuclear polarization in a geometry where the electron spins are injected almost transverse to the applied magnetic field is attributed to an enhanced non-precessing electron spin component. The small absolute value of the electron g-factor combined with efficient nuclear spin polarization leads to large nuclear fields that dominate electron spin precession at low temperatures. These effects allow for sensitive detection of all-optical nuclear magnetic resonance induced by periodically excited quantum-well electrons. The mechanism of previously observed Delta m = 2 transitions is investigated and found to be attributable to electric quadrupole coupling, whereas Delta m = 1 transitions show signatures of both quadrupole and electron-spin induced magnetic dipole coupling.Comment: 40 pages, 8 figure

Structures Related to the Emplacement of Shallow-Level Intrusions

A systematic view of the vast nomenclature used to describe the structures of shallow-level intrusions is presented here. Structures are organised in four main groups, according to logical breaks in the timing of magma emplacement, independent of the scales of features: (1) Intrusion-related structures, formed as the magma is making space and then develops into its intrusion shape; (2) Magmatic flow-related structures, developed as magma moves with suspended crystals that are free to rotate; (3) Solid-state, flow-related structures that formed in portions of the intrusions affected by continuing flow of nearby magma, therefore considered to have a syn-magmatic, non-tectonic origin; (4) Thermal and fragmental structures, related to creation of space and impact on host materials. This scheme appears as a rational organisation, helpful in describing and interpreting the large variety of structures observed in shallow-level intrusions

Joint action aesthetics

Synchronized movement is a ubiquitous feature of dance and music performance. Much research into the evolutionary origins of these cultural practices has focused on why humans perform rather than watch or listen to dance and music. In this study, we show that movement synchrony among a group of performers predicts the aesthetic appreciation of live dance performances. We developed a choreography that continuously manipulated group synchronization using a defined movement vocabulary based on arm swinging, walking and running. The choreography was performed live to four audiences, as we continuously tracked the performers’ movements, and the spectators’ affective responses. We computed dynamic synchrony among performers using cross recurrence analysis of data from wrist accelerometers, and implicit measures of arousal from spectators’ heart rates. Additionally, a subset of spectators provided continuous ratings of enjoyment and perceived synchrony using tablet computers. Granger causality analyses demonstrate predictive relationships between synchrony, enjoyment ratings and spectator arousal, if audiences form a collectively consistent positive or negative aesthetic evaluation. Controlling for the influence of overall movement acceleration and visual change, we show that dance communicates group coordination via coupled movement dynamics among a group of performers. Our findings are in line with an evolutionary function of dance–and perhaps all performing arts–in transmitting social signals between groups of people. Human movement is the common denominator of dance, music and theatre. Acknowledging the time-sensitive and immediate nature of the performer-spectator relationship, our study makes a significant step towards an aesthetics of joint actions in the performing arts

Working with the past: Making history of struggle part of the struggle

This chapter explores the collection and utilisation of source materials in Britain over the last seventy years for historical study for and by a range of political activists broadly associated with political parties, industrial organisations and social movements of the left and the working class. Drawing upon traditions of auto-didactism, independent working-class education and related critiques, this chapter examines the absences and misrepresentations of working-class life and the development of social and economic relations within most authorised heritage discourses, and endeavours such as the Marx Memorial Library and Schools, the Working-Class Movement Library, the National Museum of Labour History and the South Wales Mining Library. In discussing these initiatives, particular emphasis is given to their programmes of (democratic) history production and publication, exhibition and education programmes and how they were designed to connect with and make a contribution to contemporary struggles, building class and other solidarities and providing those engaging with their activities with the tools to better achieve their aims of social, economic and political transformations. The final section draws some connections, continuities and ruptures of some contemporary social movement engagement with the production and use of history with regard to their contemporary activism