Introductions – Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultures Research

Welcome to the blog space for Cardiff University’s Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultures Research!

The Centre was launched in 2025, and builds on two decades worth of work by staff at Cardiff. We critically and creatively engage with existing digital tools and technologies while developing innovative new projects to address vital research problems and challenges. The study of the past and present is a key focus of the Centre’s work, drawing on a range of disciplinary expertise and perspectives to bring historical and contemporary issues to life.

In the last decade in particular, the depth and scope of expertise that we’ve been developing in these areas has grown significantly, driving collaborations with industry partners and other universities, and underpinning major ongoing community engagement projects. Researchers at all levels – from Postgraduate Researchers, to Early Career Academics, to established professors – and Library and Professional Services staff (including our expert colleagues in Cardiff University’s Special Collections and Archives) all make serious contributions to our work and activity in these areas.

If your work touches these areas, then please do join us, too!

What is the Centre for?

We know lots of people across Cardiff University are working on projects that they consider part of “digital humanities and cultures” research (and we take an intentionally broad view of this interdisciplinary area of research). But until now, we’ve lack clear means to connect and collaborate with other researchers and professionals, and a visible platform for the research and innovation happening across Schools and Colleges.

This new Centre represents the accumulation of this research activity and consolidates it beyond individuals to build critical mass. In doing so, the Centre has the following interconnected aims:

• Act as a hub to facilitate and support research in Digital Humanities and Cultures at Cardiff and, in the longer term, Wales, the UK, and internationally;
• Foster interdisciplinary collaborations among academic, professional and library service colleagues within Cardiff University and beyond, and recognise and value the diversity of the various disciplinary perspectives within the Centre, while exploring interdisciplinary innovation collaboratively;
• Support the development of Postgraduate and Early Career Researchers working in these areas;
• Extend and maintain our connections with creative partners and industry, proactively seeking opportunities for co-production;
• Influence socially responsible policy and cross-professional practice, acting as a platform to build connections with, e.g., Welsh Government, Cadw, Learned Society of Wales, Arts Council, Literature Wales;
• Act as a platform to champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and social responsibility in leadership, providing relevant and meaningful development opportunities for researchers and professionals at all levels;
• Champion Ethical and Responsible Research Innovation, drawing on the range of expertise that we have, working across schools and colleges, to support Impact activities that are inclusive, innovative, rigorous, and significant both locally and globally.

…and more – we’re just getting started!

Coming Soon…

This blog is a place for sharing ideas, news, updates, and information on upcoming events. It is intended as a space and platform for everyone across Cardiff University with something to share about their work, as it speaks to research in digital humanities and digital cultures.

In the coming weeks, we’ll start sharing contributions from colleagues across the University. But if the Centre’s aims and research areas speak to you, there’s plenty of ways for you to get involved, too…

Making a Contribution

We’re very open about the kinds of content that this blog can host. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Researcher profiles –  Tell us (in 300-500 words): Who are you? What are you interested in?
• Research Project Overviews – Write us a short (800-1500ish word) blog post about your research, or commentary on a topic of contemporary significance
• Audio/visual contributions: Interviews, podcast episodes, vlogs…
• Book, media, or other resource reviews
• Event write-ups
• Creative research contributions
• Information about upcoming events that Centre members might be interested in getting involved in

If you’re interested in any of the above, or have a completely different idea, please write to Esther Wright (wrighte11[at]cardiff.ac.uk) in the first instance with an overview of the post you’d like to create.