Named after the small red sticker that once guided scholars through legacy 35mm slides, The Red Dot is here to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of visual and material research. While rooted in the University of California, Santa Barbara community, our posts are open to all.
At MIRL, we engage with art history, digital humanities, and material culture through hands-on research and archival projects. Guided by our core principles—critical engagement with visual and material culture, ethical stewardship of images and data, and innovative approaches to research and pedagogy—we work at the intersection of technology and the humanities. We are especially interested in how digital tools can expand the study of images, objects, and spaces.
Here, we’ll share insights on Digital Art History and Architectural History, highlight new image and data resources, discuss copyright and ethical considerations, and spotlight events that shape our field.
The Red Dot © 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
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The Humanities in Times of Pandemic
What is the role of the humanities in extraordinary times and conditions? How do they help us prepare for, respond to, understand, and heal from upheavals caused by events such as the COVID-19 outbreak? This collection of recent articles explores the value and interventions of the humanities in the midst of pandemic, both historically and currently.… Read more
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The Metropole + Urban History Association’s Fourth Annual Graduate Student Blogging Contest
The Metropole, The Official Blog of the Urban History Association, has announced it’s graduate student blogging contest. The contest will open on July 1 and will close on August 15. Entries must be submitted to themetropole@urbanhistory.org. Posts will run on the blog in August and September, and we will announce the winners in October. Finalists… Read more
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DH Monday: Job Opportunity – Digital Humanities Scientist, Rome
The Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History in Rome is looking to recruit a Digital Humanities Scientist. The full-time post will be offered for an initial period of two years, with the prospect of becoming a permanent position. The role includes creating and developing new digital research projects, international collaborations and grant… Read more
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Social media crack-down: how Instagram ‘protects’ us from art
The Art Newspaper’s article focuses on how the art world’s use of online platforms has increased – and so has the frustration around its draconian censorship of creative images. Read more
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DH Monday: Job Opportunity – Assistant Professorship, Digital Visual Studies
University of Zürich Application deadline: Jul 15, 2020 The goal of the professorship is to advance visual research in the digital humanities. The professorship is part of the Max-Planck-funded cooperation project Digital Visual Studies hosted by the University of Zurich and supported by the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History. The non-tenure-track… Read more
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DH Monday: Funding Opportunity – Ph.D. Fellowships in Digital Visual Studies
The Max Planck Society (MPG) and the University of Zurich (UZH) invite applications for interdisciplinary predoctoral fellowships in the field of Digital Visual Studies (DVS) for a duration of 2+1 years. The program is part of a five-year cross-institutional Digital Humanities research project funded by the MPG, supported by the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck… Read more