Conference on Digital Humanities

 Digitalizing the Humanities: Contemporary Ethical Challenges

رقمنة العلوم الإنسانية: تحديات أخلاقية معاصرة

10th October 2023

Effat University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Introduction

As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, the intersection between digital humanities education and ethics has become increasingly relevant. The ongoing digitalization of our world and the impact of technology on our educational landscape have led to new and unprecedented ethical challenges that require a deeper understanding of the interactions between the humanities and ethics. This conference aims to bring together scholars interested in exploring new ethical challenges and in finding solutions in the areas of the Humanities in general and in digital media and digital mental health in particular.

Keynote Speech:

Stephen J. A. Ward, “Humanizing the Digital: The Project of the Humanities amid Toxic, Global Media"

Stephen J. A. Ward, PhD, is an internationally recognized media ethicist, philosopher, historian of ideas, and author of 11 books on media ethics and public philosophy. He holds the title of Distinguished Lecturer on Ethics at the University of British Columbia. He was the founding director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin, and former director of the UBC School of Journalism in Vancouver, Canada. He was a war correspondent, foreign reporter and newsroom manager for 14 years and has received a lifetime award for service to professional journalism in Canada. He editor-in-chief of the Handbook for Global Media Ethics, and was associate editor of the Journal of Media Ethics.

Prof. Ward is books on ethics and media ethics, including two award-winning books, Radical Media Ethics, and The Invention of Journalism Ethics. Also he is the author of Objectively Engaged Journalism, Global Journalism Ethics, Ethics and the Media, Disrupting Journalism Ethics and Ethical Journalism in a Populist Age. His books of history and society include Irrational Publics and the Fate of Democracy.

Main Themes & Related Topics:

First Session: Emerging Ethical Issues in Digital Humanities: Challenges and Solutions

Through this session, we aim to explore how digital humanities can unfold new research pathways and encourage the development of soft and technical skills. Also, we will address its challenges and propose solutions to enhance ethical decision-making in the digital humanities. We not only hope to inspire a new wave of innovative approaches to utilizing technology and enhancing ethics in the Humanities, but we also wish to evaluate how digital humanities education contributes to nurturing the well-rounded future generation of leaders to make thoughtful, informed, and ethical decisions in a rapidly changing digital world.

Topics of the presentations will delve into the multiple dimensions of this area of study, considering the role of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences in shaping ethical decision-making in the digital age. Through these presentations and discussions, we will explore the challenges of digital technologies, including the ethical considerations of humanities and in particular Liberal Arts Education and provide solutions. We will also consider how digital technologies can be harnessed to promote ethical decision-making and prepare students for the ethical challenges posed by the fast-changing concepts of citizenship and civic engagement. ​​

What kind of ethical issues are emerging from the digitalization of the Humanities?  

In response to this question, experts will identify the kind of ethical issues stemming from the intersection of technology and the disciplines of the humanities. They will also discuss ways in which individuals and organizations can strengthen digitalizing humanities while upholding ethical values and principles. ​

How can digital literacy be integrated into education while preserving its ethics and core values?  ​

This topic will feature discussions on the importance of digital literacy in the 21st century, and how its implementation can enhance education and provide strategies for maintaining a balance between innovation and ethical responsibility. It will also examine how digital literacy can be used to promote critical thinking, creativity, and engagement with social issues.

How can educators implement effective strategies to promote ethics, citizenship, cultural identity and social responsibility?   

The focus of this topic will be the evaluation of effective strategies for promoting various teaching methods and tools, including community-based learning, service-learning, and interdisciplinary approaches to help students develop a sense of social responsibility and ethical awareness. It will especially address challenges and opportunities in implementing these strategies, particularly in the current age. ​

Second Session: Technology and Mental Health: Possibilities, Challenges and Ethical Dilemmas

This session aims to answer the question: Is technology helping or harming the mental health of people using it? Recently, the COVID 19 pandemic has opened doors to new innovations in digital mental health, as well as highlighting the risks of excessive usage of social media and screen time for mental health (MH). Take part in an exploration of how psychology affects the design, use, adoption, and impact of technology with experts, industry leaders, practitioners, and students. Topics of presentation will shed light on using technology to provide better quality of care for mental health patients as well as risks of such technology on mental health. In addition, potential ethical consideration with regards to technology and mental health will be explored. ​

Topics:​

• Can digital mental health be used as an effective tool to improve the quality of healthcare?
• Examine the latest trends and future developments in e-mental health for promoting better mental
• health outcomes in society, organizations, public and private sectors, communities and individuals.
  
• What are the potential ethical challenges of digital mental health care?
• Address ethical and policy questions relating to the opportunities and challenges that arise from the interaction between humans and technology.
  
• What is the role of social media in improving and/or deteriorating mental health?
• Investigate the effects of excessive usage of social media and explore various strategies to overcome them in order to enhance the prosocial and safe use of media. Explore the positive outcomes of using social media as a safe, anonymous, and collaborative tool to enhance mental health. ​
  
  

Third Session: New Frontiers: Ethical Challenges in Digital Media

This session explores the diverse ethical theories and perspectives pertaining to digital media and communication in local and global contexts. It seeks to examine communication platforms in the context of justice, morality, fairness, truth, accuracy, independence, impartiality, humanity and accountability. The communicative decisions made in practical ethical scenarios will be discussed, defended, and critiqued in order to see if they balance conflicting ethical principles in real-world communicative situations.

Topics:

• What are the ethical challenges that can arise from digital media platforms and how big are they?
• Identify types of ethical challenges faced by digital media and communication specialists and to what extent they menace the well-being of our communities. Introduce tools and apps that reveal fake news.
• How can ethical challenges be addressed and solved?
• Explore ways of addressing ethical issues arising from the fast-evolving digital media platforms and their impact on users and practitioners alike.
• How do we educate digital writers about ethics?
• Investigate how educators can increase people's understanding of the ethics and values that underlie media today. Will new toolkits be needed, if we live all our lives in a global media culture?​
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