Founding Statement, Korean Association for Digital Humanities (KADH)
We, as individuals dedicated to exploring the knowledge of humanities and its sociocultural and industrial applications in Korea, acknowledge the significant impact of today’s digital environment on the production, dissemination, and utilization of humanities knowledge. We understand that “Digital Humanities” represents a transformative milestone, bridging traditional disciplinary boundaries. It cultivates interaction within diverse subfields of both pure and applied humanities, not as a separate discipline, but as a nexus of innovation. Recognizing this, we commit ourselves to actively participate in global initiatives, fostering innovation in the humanities within the framework of “Digital Humanities.” We will diligently seek and implement practical approaches that align with this vision.
- Through its commitment to research and education in the field of Digital Humanities, domestically, the KADH aims to contribute to the establishment of a foundation for humanistic development. Internationally, based on our unique academic experiences and achievements, we seek to present productive alternatives to the global digital humanities community.
- The KADH welcomes the participation of all institutions, organizations, and individuals interested in research and education in the field of digital humanities, interdisciplinary collaboration through digital methods, and the communication between academia and cultural industries.
- The KADH contributes to the advancement of digital humanities by facilitating the sharing of experiences and accomplishments related to research, education, and utilization of digital humanities, as well as providing feedback to one another.
- The KADH takes the initiative to develop and implement educational programs that aim to disseminate research methods and the necessary technological skills in digital humanities to both current scholars and aspiring researchers in the interdisciplinary field of humanities.
- Drawing upon its pioneering experience in digital humanities, the KADH offers advisory support and proposes viable alternatives to government agencies and research funding organization in shaping policies for fostering digital humanities. In doing so, the KADH contributes to the progress of digital humanities in Korea.
- By actively participating in international networks of digital humanities research organizations, the KADH serves as a gateway for Korean digital humanities to engage with the global digital humanities community.
Founded on our nation’s profound intellectual and cultural heritage, the humanities in Korea has flourished, accumulating achievements in pure humanities and, since 2000, exploring the applications of humanities to pioneer new domains such as in the creative industries. With the aspiration that digital humanities will contribute to the synergy and symbiosis between traditional pure humanities and applied humanities, we hereby embark on the establishment of the “Korean Association for Digital Humanities” to collectively undertake the aforementioned mission.
May 30th, 2015, Signed, Founding Members of the Korean Association for Digital Humanities