Einleitung Schnittstelle Mediävistik. Kollaborationen der Mittelalterforschung im digitalen Zeitalter

Abstract

The digital turn has profoundly reshaped me­dieval studies, positioning it as an interdisciplinary and collaborative field. The integration of digital tools and methodologies addresses challenges in preserving and analysing fragile medieval sources while enabling new scholarly approaches. This paper explores the dual impor­tance of digital sustainability and thematic intersections in advancing the field. Digital sustainability ensures data and methods remain findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable, in short, align with FAIR principles. The­matic intersections foster interdisciplinary dialogue by connecting distinct research domains and promoting innovative collaborations.

Using the tools and guidelines for text encoding from the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), the Research Data Framework (RDF) as a method for semantic representation, and standards like the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) for image interoperability, alongside approaches such as Linked Open Data (LOD), medievalists have built infrastructures that transcend disciplines. These tools facilitate detailed source analyses and contextualize medieval objects within broader cultural frameworks. Case studies from the ‘Network Linked Open Middle Ages’ show how collaborative infrastructures enhance sustainability and interconnectivity while fostering dialogue between humanities and technical domains.