Summary:

1. Who should register for this workshop? People interested in digital humanities, digital community history, history of AIDS/HIV, and LGBTQ History. No prior experience in computer programming is required. Expect a slow pace and going over basics and fundamentals.

2. Code of Conduct. We are committed to creating a friendly and respectful place for learning, teaching, and contributing. All participants in our events and communications are expected to show respect and courtesy to others.

Course Overview

There are mountains of data about the scientific aspects of AIDS/HIV, and its perceived relationship to gender or sexuality. What is easily lost in this endless data, however, is the lived experience of being a person with AIDS, and the nuanced and vibrant cultural history of the incredible community response to the epidemic. Digital Humanities and Community History work is one way to bring this experience back to the fore.

This workshop, co-presented by GLBT Historical Society and the UCSF Archives & Special Collections, will be an introduction to computer programming as a way to do digital community history. We will start as absolute beginners, with no previous experience in digital history work required, to explore the historical documents in the UCSF Archives’ AIDS History Project and some GLBT Historical Society Archives collections.

The workshop will introduce participants to basic computer programming (again, no previous experience required whatsoever), and will move on to cover examining, researching, and “distant-reading” of this large archive using these new computer programming skills. The archives we'll examine together include papers from individuals, activist and community-support organizations, medical institutions, government bodies, and more. What kinds of new stories can be told when we are able to look and ask questions across all this documentation at once? 

Preparing your computer for the course:

• See the syllabus for set up instructions.

Instructors

Clair Kronk & Charlie Macquarie

Questions? Email joanna.kang@ucsf.edu