Literary Mathematics: Quantitative Theory for Textual Studies

Quantitative methods for studying textual data have become increasingly popular in the humanities and social sciences, offering powerful tools for historical inquiry and unexpected perspectives on theoretical issues. Michael Gavin's Literary Mathematics explores this development through case studies of the Early English Books Online corpus, revealing an uncannily accurate picture of historical periodization, a vector-space semantic model that parses historical concepts in fine detail, and a geospatial analysis of early modern discourse that offers a surprising panoramic glimpse into the period's notion of world geography. Gavin challenges readers to consider why corpus-based methods work so effectively and asks whether the successes of formal modeling ought to inspire humanists to reconsider fundamental theoretical assumptions about textuality and meaning. By embracing the expressive power of mathematics, scholars can add new dimensions to digital humanities research and find new connections with the social sciences.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 25 October 2022
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Quantitative methods have gained significant traction in the humanities and social sciences, revolutionizing the study of textual data. This development represents a remarkable milestone in the long history of textuality, with the corpus emerging as a major genre of cultural and scientific knowledge. In "Literary Mathematics," Michael Gavin explores the impact of quantitative methods on historical inquiry and theoretical issues in literary studies. The book is designed to be student-friendly and accessible, featuring case studies from the Early English Books Online corpus. Gavin demonstrates how quantitative methods can provide powerful tools for historical analysis, revealing unexpected perspectives on theoretical questions. For instance, a copublication network of printers and authors reveals an accurate picture of historical periodization, a vector-space semantic model parses historical concepts in fine detail, and a geospatial analysis of early modern discourse offers a panoramic glimpse into the period's notion of world geography. Through these case studies, Gavin challenges readers to consider why corpus-based methods work so effectively and asks whether the successes of formal modeling should inspire humanists to reconsider fundamental theoretical assumptions about textuality and meaning. By embracing the expressive power of mathematics, scholars can add new dimensions to digital humanities research and find new connections with the social sciences.

Weight: 430g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503633902