Data analysis, gendered data, social network analysis, correspondence networks, Bede, Maria Edgeworth, narrative sources
The ‘Gendered Networks’ and ‘Digital Edgeworth Network’ projects applied data-driven approaches and digital analysis to material that might not seem entirely conducive to such methodologies. The process of creating viable datasets for both projects was researcher-led, rather than computerised methods of data extraction, due to the complexity of the data. The datasets that were created highlighted aspects of the source material that had hitherto received little attention from scholars and led to the development of new research questions: for example, concerning the role of nameless characters in narrative texts. In addition, our analysis of social groups enabled us to quantify relationship data and visualise social networks in whole new ways. Our data-driven approach ensured that all individuals were included in the data gathering process, regardless of their perceived importance, and allowed us to bring to the fore people who might otherwise have been deemed invisible.