A World Elsewhere: The Evolution of Cyberspace
This timely conversation will trace the early history of cyberspace in the 1990s and its relationship with the discipline that would become digital humanities, referencing Professor Claire Warwick's (SE 1986) book, Digital Humanities and the Cyberspace Decade: A World Elsewhere (2024, Bloomsbury).
In the early days of the internet, 'cyberspace' and the 'virtual' seemed to offer users an exciting and generally benign alternative to everyday life; a world elsewhere. Today those spaces are often described as being toxic – thanks to a combination of anonymity, algorithmic amplification of extreme views, and business models that incentivise engagement, even if it's negative. Were the warning signs always there for disinformation and over-commercialisation? And how much did the norms and lack of regulation in the early internet era lay the groundwork for many of today's challenges with online media?
What is digital humanities?
The digital humanities is a field of study, research, teaching, and invention concerned with the intersection of computing and the study of human culture, society, and the human experience.
This event is organised in association with Cambridge Digital Humanities.
About Professor Claire Warwick (SE 1986)
Professor Claire Warwick is a Professor of Digital Humanities at Durham University.
Her research is concerned with the way that digital resources, including artificial intelligence techniques, are used in the humanities and cultural heritage and in reading behaviour in physical and digital spaces. Most recently, she was the author of Digital Humanities and the Cyberspace Decade: A World Elsewhere (2024, Bloomsbury).
About Dr Leonardo Impett
Dr Leonardo Impett is an Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities at Cambridge University and Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Art History. He has a background in computer vision and machine learning, and his work focuses on digital art history and the visual culture of AI.
Tickets
Livestream
You can watch the livestream on our YouTube channel. Click the video above to visit the livestream page. You will not need to book a ticket for this.
Location and timing details
The event takes place at the Quarry Whitehouse Auditorium, Selwyn College, Grange Road, CB3 9DQ. It is pictured below, as seen from above from Grange Road.
The Quarry Whitehouse Auditorium is located on the corner of West Road and Grange Road and can be accessed via the gate to Ann’s Court on Grange Road. The Auditorium will be signposted — but the Selwyn College Porters, located in the Lodge by the main entrance, will be more than happy to help direct you if you have trouble finding the auditorium.
Doors will open at 5:45pm. Please be seated by 5:55pm as the event will start promptly at 6:00pm. We expect to finish by 7:00pm at the latest.
If you are arriving by bike, you may lock your bicycles on the railings by the Quarry Whitehouse Auditorium.
Please note that photographs will be taken during this event and the audience may be visible at certain points on the livestream.