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== Mapping the Republic of Letters ==
== Mapping the Republic of Letters ==
-
 
 +
== Project Overview ==
-
== Project Overview ==
+
[http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/ Mapping the Republic of Letters] (MRofL) is an international, collaborative project that is centered at Stanford University. MRofL is an ongoing project which began in 2008. Developed by [http://humanexperience.stanford.edu/edelstein Dan Eldenstien] and [http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPST/findlen.html Paula Findlen] the project goals are to create visual representations of the information in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Letters Republic of Letters] (RofL) focusing on the correspondence, travel and social networks that existed during that time. The project now has an additional lead Nicole Coleman.
-
[http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/ Mapping the Republic of Letters] (MRofL) is an international, collaborative project that is centered at Stanford University. MRofL is an on-going project which began in 2008. Developed by [http://humanexperience.stanford.edu/edelstein Dan Eldenstien] and [http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPST/findlen.html Paula Findlen] the project goals are to create visual representations of the information in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Letters Republic of Letters] (RofL) focusing on the correspondence, travel and social networks that existed during that time. The project now has an additional lead Nicole Coleman.
+
__TOC__
== History - The Republic of Letters ==
== History - The Republic of Letters ==
-
RofL in its Latin form ''respublica litteraria'' where the two words ''res'' and ''publica'' mean “matter” or “object” and “public” or “common” respectively and ''litteraria'' translates to “learning” or “knowledge.” The phrase became known as the shared pursuit of knowledge for the common good. RofL is a self-proclaimed community of scholars that span mostly across Europe and America. Members were limited to some well educated individuals and institutions. The influence RofL had on the the Enlightenment is still questionable among historians however, circulation of written letters and packages sent within the RofL demonstrates an international network of communication.
+
RofL in its Latin form ''respublica litteraria'' is a compound of two words ''res'' and ''publica'' mean “matter” or “object” and “public” or “common” respectively and ''litteraria'' translates to “learning” or “knowledge.” The phrase was coined to describe the shared pursuit of knowledge for the common good. The RofL was a self-proclaimed community of scholars that mostly spanned Europe and America. Members were limited to well educated individuals and institutions. The influence RofL had on the the Enlightenment is still questionable among historians however, circulation of written letters and packages sent within the RofL illustrates an international network of intellectual communication.
== Purpose ==
== Purpose ==
    
    
-
The purpose of the project was initially to answer 4 questions
+
The purpose of the project was initially to answer 4 questions:
-
What do the networks within the RofL look like?
+
* What do the networks within the RofL look like?  
 +
* How geographically extensive were the networks?
 +
* Do individual networks overlap or connect?
 +
* Did the networks configuration evolve over time? (Eldstien and Findlen, 2008)
-
How geographically extensive were the networks?
+
To answer the questions posed the project goals included creating tools to make visual representations of all the information available from RofL. Creating interactive visualizations of the information allow users to see at-a-glance the span of the correspondence across the globe, patterns that may be occurring and there is potential to learn more about certain schools of thought at the time or in specific regions.
-
Do individual networks overlap or connect?
 
-
Did the networks configuration evolve over time?
+
Although the project has great potential for re-discovering history and learning new aspects of RofL there are some limitations to the project. Since the RofL is a self-acclaimed community of scholars and academic institutions, MRofL may be excluding some key scholars or institutions of the time not part of RofL.
-
 
+
-
 
+
-
To answer the questions posed the project goals included creating tools to make visual representations of all the information available from RofL. Creating interactive visualizations of the information allow users to see at-a-glance the span of the correspondence across the globe, patterns that may be occurring  and there is potential to learn more about certain schools of thought at the time or in specific regions.
+
-
 
+
-
 
+
-
Although the project has great potential for re-discovering history and learning new aspects we may not have been able to do before there are some limitations to the project. Since the RofL is a self-acclaimed community of scholars and academic institutions, MRofL may be excluding some key scholars not part of RofL.
+
== Case Studies ==
== Case Studies ==
 +
MRofL is a collection of case studies. There are currently seven individual [http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/case-study/ case studies] in progress each looking at a unique aspect of RofL. The following are brief descriptions of each case study;
-
MRofL is a collection of case studies. There are currently seven individual [http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/case-study/ case studies] in progress each looking at a unique aspect of RofL4. The following are brief summaries of each case study;
+
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Algarotti Francesco Algarotti’s] Reverse Grand Tour: Travels, Publications and Letters: is a project working on creating a series of three integrated maps from a  database of Algarotti’s travels, publications and letters. The material from this case study will be made available publically upon completion.
 +
* Visualizing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin Benjamin Franklin’s] Correspondence Network: is working on creating a visual representation of Benjamin Franklin’s correspondence. This case study is currently in progress.
-
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Algarotti Francesco Algarotti’s] Reverse Grand Tour: Travels, Publications and Letters: is a project working on creating a series of three integrated maps from a  database of Algarotti’s travels, publications and letters. The material from this case study will be made available publically upon completion.
+
* Mapping [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei Galileo]: This case study has an estimated completion date of 2012-2013. This case study is designed to visually represent the changes in Galileo’s correspondence network through the different stages of his life.
-
*Visualizing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin Benjamin Franklin’s] Correspondence Network: is working on creating a visual representation of Benjamin Franklin’s correspondence. This case study is currently in progress.
+
* An Intellectual Map of Science in the Spanish Empire 1600-1810: a case study unlike the others within MRofL it is working on creating a map of 360 individuals focusing on the people and their interactions with each other and institutions across the Spanish Empire and not specifically mapping the correspondence.
-
*Mapping [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei Galileo]: This case study has an estimated completion date of 2012-2013. This case study is designed to visually represent the changes in Galileo’s correspondence network through the different stages of his life.
+
* Grand Tour Travelers: focusing on British and Irish travelers to Italy this case study represents the social networks and geospatial data.  
-
*An Intellectual Map of Science in the Spanish Empire 1600-1810: a case study unlike the others within MRofL it is working on creating a map of 360 individuals focusing on the people and their interactions with each other and institutions across the Spanish Empire and not specifically mapping the correspondence.
+
* A Jesuit’s Letters: Mapping [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_Kircher Athansius Kircher’s] Correspondence: this case study has grown from creating a visualization of letters from an archived database to creating an interactive map of Kircher’s correspondence. Currently in progress this expected completion date is 2012-2013.
-
*Grand Tour Travelers: focusing on British and Irish travelers to Italy this case study represents the social networks and geospatial data.
+
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire Voltaire] and the Enlightenment: a case study focusing on Voltaire’s correspondence to discover who, why and where he corresponded to. This case study is currently in progress.
-
 
+
-
*A Jesuit’s Letters: Mapping [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_Kircher Athansius Kircher’s] Correspondence: this case study has grown from creating a visualization of letters from an archived database to creating an interactive map of Kircher’s correspondence. Currently in progress this expected completion date is 2012-2013.
+
-
 
+
-
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire Voltaire] and the Enlightenment: a case study focusing on Voltaire’s correspondence to discover who, why and where he corresponded to. This case study is currently in progress.
+
== Tools ==
== Tools ==
-
+
[[IMage:RofL Viz.jpg|250px|thumb|right|RofL Viz tool screen capture October 14, 2012]]
-
There are several tools being used for the MRofL project as well as some that are in development. Each of the tools are unique visualizations of the information given from RofL correspondence. The first tool, RofL Viz developed in 2009 by students Shiwei Song, Dan Change and Yuankai Ge is the first tool used by the project. This tool is designed as an interactive map with scrolling timeline feature that lets the user see the network of communication for selected individuals.
+
[[IMage:correspondenzia.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Correspondenzia tool screen capture October 14, 2012]]
-
[[File:RofL Viz.jpg]]
+
[[IMage:fineo.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Fineo tool screen capture October 14, 2012]]
-
 
+
There are several [http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/tools/ tools] being used for the MRofL project as well as some that are in development. Each of the tools are unique visualizations of the information given from RofL correspondence.  
-
 
+
-
Corrispondenzia was developed in 2010 to convey incomplete data geographically.
+
-
[[File:correspondenzia.jpg]]
+
-
 
+
-
 
+
-
The Priestly - Inspired Timeline is a tool similar to Joseph Priestly’s Chart of Biography. The Priestly - Inspired timeline is interactive and searchable tool that allows the user to view large amounts of data at a glance and get a sense of the travel patterns at a given time.
+
-
 
+
-
 
+
-
Fineo is essentially a flow diagram designed to convey relationships among the different aspects of the data being presented.
+
-
[[File:Example.jpg]]
+
-
Inquiry allows the user to search a large collection of the correspondence.
+
-
 
+
-
 
+
-
Developed in January 2012 INK is a map, timeline and histogram and a Fineo version of the data. INK is a highly interactive tool that allows the user to click on various aspects of any of the three displays and view the corresponding information in the other two views.  
+
 +
* The first tool, [http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/tools/ RofL Viz] developed in 2009 by students Shiwei Song, Dan Change and Yuankai Ge is the first tool used by the project. This tool is designed as an interactive map with scrolling timeline feature that lets the user see the network of communication for selected individuals.
 +
* Corrispondenzia was developed in 2010 to convey incomplete data geographically.
 +
* The Priestly - Inspired Timeline is a tool similar to Joseph Priestly’s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Chart_of_Biography Chart of Biography]. The Priestly - Inspired timeline is interactive and searchable tool that allows the user to view large amounts of data at a glance and get a sense of the travel patterns at a given time.
 +
* Fineo is essentially a flow diagram designed to convey relationships among the different aspects of the data being presented.
 +
* Inquiry allows the user to search a large collection of the correspondence.
 +
* Developed in January 2012 INK is a map, timeline and histogram and a Fineo version of the data. INK is a highly interactive tool that allows the user to click on various aspects of any of the three displays and view the corresponding information in the other two views.
Currently in development are two tools: Knot and Schema. Knot allows the users to see a network take shape where Schema will allow users to explore nationality of the correspondence more thoroughly.
Currently in development are two tools: Knot and Schema. Knot allows the users to see a network take shape where Schema will allow users to explore nationality of the correspondence more thoroughly.
Line 89: Line 74:
== Collaborators ==
== Collaborators ==
-
+
The project benefits from a number of collaborations:
-
*Density Design Research Lab, Milan
+
 
-
*CKCC: Circulation of Knowledge and Learned Practices in the 17th-century Dutch Republic
+
*[http://www.densitydesign.org/ Density Design Research Lab], Milan
-
*Cultures of Knowledge, Oxford
+
*[http://ckcc.huygens.knaw.nl/ CKCC]: Circulation of Knowledge and Learned Practices in the 17th-century Dutch Republic
-
*Electronic Enlightenment Project, Oxford
+
*[http://cofk.history.ox.ac.uk/ Cultures of Knowledge], Oxford
-
*Gephi Consortium, Médialab SciencesPo
+
*[http://www.e-enlightenment.com Electronic Enlightenment Project], Oxford
-
*Group D’Alembert (CNRS, France)
+
*[https://consortium.gephi.org/ Gephi Consortium], Médialab SciencesPo
-
*National Publication of the Works of Antonio Vallisneri
+
*[http://dalembert.obspm.fr/ Group D’Alembert] (CNRS, France)
 +
*[http://www.vallisneri.it/presentazione_eng.shtml National Publication of the Works of Antonio Vallisneri]
== References ==
== References ==
Line 102: Line 88:
Edelstein, Dan and Paula Findlen. ''Digging Into the Enlightenment: Mapping the Republic of Letters''. 2011. [cited October 14, 2012] Available from https://securegrants.neh.gov/PublicQuery/main.aspx?f=1&gn=HJ-50056-10  
Edelstein, Dan and Paula Findlen. ''Digging Into the Enlightenment: Mapping the Republic of Letters''. 2011. [cited October 14, 2012] Available from https://securegrants.neh.gov/PublicQuery/main.aspx?f=1&gn=HJ-50056-10  
 +
Whelan, Ruth. ''Republic of Letters''. Alan Charles Kors editor. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment Oxford Reference. Current Online Version 2012 [cited October 4, 2012] Available from http://www.oxfordreference.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780195104301.001.0001/acref-9780195104301-e-606?
-
Mapping the Republic of Letters, Stanford University [retrieved October 15, 2012] http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/
+
== External Links ==
-
 
+
-
 
+
-
Whelan, Ruth. ''Republic of Letters''. Alan Charles Kors editor. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment Oxford Reference. Current Online Version 2012 [cited October 4, 2012] Available from http://www.oxfordreference.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780195104301.001.0001/acref-9780195104301-e-606?
+
 +
The majority of the information on this wiki post has been collected from [http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/ Mapping the Republic of Letters], Stanford University (retrieved October 15, 2012)
-
Wikipedia, ''Republic of Letters'' [retrieved October 13, 2012] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Letters
+
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Letters Republic of Letters] Wikipedia (retrieved October 13, 2012)

Current revision as of 09:14, 18 October 2012

Mapping the Republic of Letters

Project Overview

Mapping the Republic of Letters (MRofL) is an international, collaborative project that is centered at Stanford University. MRofL is an ongoing project which began in 2008. Developed by Dan Eldenstien and Paula Findlen the project goals are to create visual representations of the information in the Republic of Letters (RofL) focusing on the correspondence, travel and social networks that existed during that time. The project now has an additional lead Nicole Coleman.

Contents


History - The Republic of Letters

RofL in its Latin form respublica litteraria is a compound of two words res and publica mean “matter” or “object” and “public” or “common” respectively and litteraria translates to “learning” or “knowledge.” The phrase was coined to describe the shared pursuit of knowledge for the common good. The RofL was a self-proclaimed community of scholars that mostly spanned Europe and America. Members were limited to well educated individuals and institutions. The influence RofL had on the the Enlightenment is still questionable among historians however, circulation of written letters and packages sent within the RofL illustrates an international network of intellectual communication.

Purpose

The purpose of the project was initially to answer 4 questions:

  • What do the networks within the RofL look like?
  • How geographically extensive were the networks?
  • Do individual networks overlap or connect?
  • Did the networks configuration evolve over time? (Eldstien and Findlen, 2008)

To answer the questions posed the project goals included creating tools to make visual representations of all the information available from RofL. Creating interactive visualizations of the information allow users to see at-a-glance the span of the correspondence across the globe, patterns that may be occurring and there is potential to learn more about certain schools of thought at the time or in specific regions.


Although the project has great potential for re-discovering history and learning new aspects of RofL there are some limitations to the project. Since the RofL is a self-acclaimed community of scholars and academic institutions, MRofL may be excluding some key scholars or institutions of the time not part of RofL.

Case Studies

MRofL is a collection of case studies. There are currently seven individual case studies in progress each looking at a unique aspect of RofL. The following are brief descriptions of each case study;

  • Francesco Algarotti’s Reverse Grand Tour: Travels, Publications and Letters: is a project working on creating a series of three integrated maps from a database of Algarotti’s travels, publications and letters. The material from this case study will be made available publically upon completion.
  • Visualizing Benjamin Franklin’s Correspondence Network: is working on creating a visual representation of Benjamin Franklin’s correspondence. This case study is currently in progress.
  • Mapping Galileo: This case study has an estimated completion date of 2012-2013. This case study is designed to visually represent the changes in Galileo’s correspondence network through the different stages of his life.
  • An Intellectual Map of Science in the Spanish Empire 1600-1810: a case study unlike the others within MRofL it is working on creating a map of 360 individuals focusing on the people and their interactions with each other and institutions across the Spanish Empire and not specifically mapping the correspondence.
  • Grand Tour Travelers: focusing on British and Irish travelers to Italy this case study represents the social networks and geospatial data.
  • A Jesuit’s Letters: Mapping Athansius Kircher’s Correspondence: this case study has grown from creating a visualization of letters from an archived database to creating an interactive map of Kircher’s correspondence. Currently in progress this expected completion date is 2012-2013.
  • Voltaire and the Enlightenment: a case study focusing on Voltaire’s correspondence to discover who, why and where he corresponded to. This case study is currently in progress.

Tools

RofL Viz tool screen capture October 14, 2012
Correspondenzia tool screen capture October 14, 2012
Fineo tool screen capture October 14, 2012

There are several tools being used for the MRofL project as well as some that are in development. Each of the tools are unique visualizations of the information given from RofL correspondence.

  • The first tool, RofL Viz developed in 2009 by students Shiwei Song, Dan Change and Yuankai Ge is the first tool used by the project. This tool is designed as an interactive map with scrolling timeline feature that lets the user see the network of communication for selected individuals.
  • Corrispondenzia was developed in 2010 to convey incomplete data geographically.
  • The Priestly - Inspired Timeline is a tool similar to Joseph Priestly’s Chart of Biography. The Priestly - Inspired timeline is interactive and searchable tool that allows the user to view large amounts of data at a glance and get a sense of the travel patterns at a given time.
  • Fineo is essentially a flow diagram designed to convey relationships among the different aspects of the data being presented.
  • Inquiry allows the user to search a large collection of the correspondence.
  • Developed in January 2012 INK is a map, timeline and histogram and a Fineo version of the data. INK is a highly interactive tool that allows the user to click on various aspects of any of the three displays and view the corresponding information in the other two views.

Currently in development are two tools: Knot and Schema. Knot allows the users to see a network take shape where Schema will allow users to explore nationality of the correspondence more thoroughly.

Funding

MRofL receives funding from the following areas;

Additional funding for individual case studies are from the following;

Collaborators

The project benefits from a number of collaborations:

References

Edelstein, Dan and Paula Findlen. Digging Into the Enlightenment: Mapping the Republic of Letters. 2011. [cited October 14, 2012] Available from https://securegrants.neh.gov/PublicQuery/main.aspx?f=1&gn=HJ-50056-10

Whelan, Ruth. Republic of Letters. Alan Charles Kors editor. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment Oxford Reference. Current Online Version 2012 [cited October 4, 2012] Available from http://www.oxfordreference.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780195104301.001.0001/acref-9780195104301-e-606?

External Links

The majority of the information on this wiki post has been collected from Mapping the Republic of Letters, Stanford University (retrieved October 15, 2012)

Republic of Letters Wikipedia (retrieved October 13, 2012)

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