The Scout Report -- Volume 27, Number 19

"Let's have an adventure." In Out and Around, Jennifer Chang and Lisa Dazols invite viewers to join them on a journey through Australia, Asia, Africa and South America. Their year-long travels documented the state of LGBTQ+ rights around the world (though readers should note the film was released in 2015 and thus some of the specific laws referenced may have changed since). The documentary combines storytelling, social justice, human rights, and the great outdoors to tell both "an entertaining adventure story," and "an empowering account of LGBTQ+ resilience in an often complicated world." In addition to viewing the 80-minute documentary, readers can submit basic info (name and email) to gain access to the Educator Guide, a useful resource with 10 discussion prompts and 3 research project ideas focused on global LGBTQ+ rights. The guide is available in English, Chinese, Portugese, and Spanish. Readers will also find a few Bonus Material highlighted at the bottom of the page. The guide and documentary are available to a broad audience thanks to a partnership with the It Gets Better Project. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

Old English, a language originating in early medieval England and a predecessor of modern English, has some unique features that may make it difficult to study. For example, Old English uses three letters that do not exist in modern English and does not use the letters j, v, w, or z. This resource helps readers understand and read the language, with useful tools for both novice and experienced Old English learners. Readers will find a Course Index, with topical modules on nouns, verbs, syntax, and more. There is also a Pronunciation Guide, which includes notes and embedded audio. The Home page links to a beginner's guide and a brief history, great starting points for new learners. Victoria Koivisto-Kokko created Old English Online in 2018 as a component of her master's thesis at the University College Cork. Funding was provided by the UCC National Forum's "Developing Disciplinary Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Assessment" fund. Dr. Tom Birkett also contributed to the project. As a "living resource," updates and changes are constantly being added. For more information on how users can contribute to this process, check out the FAQ section. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

Long-standing subscribers may remember the 11-04-2016 Scout Report feature Mapping Inequality, a project from the University of Richmond's Digital Scholarship Lab that explored how the Home Owners' Loan Corporation's loan risk maps facilitated a racist lending system called "redlining." Now, readers can expand on the historical context provided by this and other related resources (for example, Redlining Louisville from the 10-02-2020 issue or Moving the Line from the 7-17-2020 issue) with Not Even Past, another Richmond DSL project (in collaboration with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition) that explores "the legacy of redlining," in conjunction with "racial health inequities." As this resource exemplifies, racist lending practices and segregated housing directly impact other health and wellbeing metrics; and, the challenges of COVID-19 have only deepened racial disparities. On the site, users are able to directly compare redlining maps with maps of the Center for Disease Control's Social Vulnerability Index (an assessment of "a community's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from human and natural disasters,"). Maps for 200 cities are available, and readers will find detailed instructions on navigating the maps under the How to Use this Site sub-section of the landing page. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

A project from the Yale Digital Humanities Lab (DH Lab), PixPlot uses 21st-century technology to explore a large collection of 19th- and 20th-century images, the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection at Yale's Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Amassed by Frederick Hill Meserve, "a collector and distributor of photographs from 1897 to his death in 1962," the collection has a bevy of materials highlighting Abraham Lincoln and events around the time of the American Civil War. PixPlot analyzes the 27,000 images in the collections along more than 2,000 dimensions, resulting in a unique visual display that groups like images together. Users can navigate the resource by zooming in and out of clusters of interest or by expanding designated "hotspots" that each begin with a representative image identified by the software (e.g., buttons, gowns, landscapes, or suits). The resource is ever-evolving, and future planned enhancements include layouts based on user-provided metadata, basic search functionality, and text annotations within plots. To see the underlying code, visit the DHLab on GitHub. [DS]

Comment on or rate this resource

Locating Queer Memories provides users with "a digital map of LGBTQ history in Barcelona, 1970-1980." Catalan-Canadian historian Ona Bantjes-Rafols created this project as part of a digital humanities course at Carleton University. In the project, she reflects on the "stories hidden in city streets," noting, as an example, the many times she passed the Rambla (a pedestrian street in central Barcelona) before learning its history as "the site of the very first gay rights march in the Spanish State." Then, she shares these stories with others, as cataloged by map pinpoints. Two maps are available. The first highlights stories specific to Barcelona. The second provides an international perspective, outlining cross-continental connections. Clicking on a pinpoint pulls up a quote, story, or excerpt detailing "queer life in Barcelona during the 1970s," from struggle to solidarity. Note that zooming in on sections of the map makes for an easier navigation experience. Readers will also find a brief essay providing Historical Context and a Bibliography. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

What does "humanized data" look like? It turns out, it can look like a sweater, blouse, or bag. Information designer Giorgia Lupi wanted to create a project that combined data and storytelling to uplift the accomplishments of women in STEM. Through a collaboration with the apparel designers at & Other Stories, Lupi incorporated data patterns into garment designs, creating beautiful pieces with both embroidered patterns and custom-printed textiles. The designs were primarily inspired by three women in STEM: computer programmer Ada Lovelace, environmentalist Rachel Carson, and astronaut and physicist Mae Jemison. At the link above, readers will find a project summary, beginning with a brief video where Lupi introduces the idea and then offers brief biographies of each muse (Lovelace, Carson, and Jemison). Additionally, readers can explore the garments themselves (click the "portfolio view" link to enlarge the images). The collection is available on the website for Pentagram, "a multi-disciplinary, independently-owned design studio." [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

Home to an expansive collection of fashion pieces and textiles, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts is a great resource to explore (virtually for now). Though many collection pieces date back to the 17th-century, recently, the museum has focused on acquiring modern materials (from the 20th and 21st-centuries). PEM's collection has garnered significant recognition. In fact, "the museum's overall American clothing collection, which dates primarily from 1820-1930, is among the ten best in the country." At the link above, readers can scroll through collection highlights, and then check out the full archive (via the "Search Our Collection" link). From Alexander McQueen gowns to various fashionable footwear options, the collection has it all. Plus, though the fashion and textile collection has its own folder, the portal also provides easy access to other sections of the museum (e.g., the "Art and Nature Center" or "Photography"). Back on the fashion and textile collection's landing page, readers will also find a link to #AskACurator, another great resource that gives visitors the inside scoop on the collection from curator Petra Slinkard. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

Sometimes fashion choices are out of this world ... literally. This July 2019 piece from The Washington Post surveys five spacesuits over five decades of spaceflight, from Neil Armstrong's gear in 1969 to 21st-century apparel. The resource stands out for two reasons. First, the 3D data visualization operates similar to a virtual museum, creating realistic replicas for viewers to explore. Second, the piece is filled with commentary between The Washington Post's space industry reporter, Christian Davenport, and fashion critic Robin Givhan, who offer unique and diverse perspectives on each suit. Davenport focuses commentary on the practical purposes for parts of each look, while Givhan adds insights on elements of design. The piece is also sprinkled with a bit of space history. This resource was created by stitching together 2,500 images (via a process known as "photogrammetry"). It was produced by Gabriel Florit, Joe Fox, Courtney Kan, Elite Truong, and Monica Ulmanu, with additional assistance from William Neff, Armand Emamdjomeh, and Seth Blanchard. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

Drawing the line between appreciation and appropriation begins by understanding the dynamics of both power (colonialism and racism) and profit (capitalism). This episode of the Art of Citizenry Podcast provides important context and conversation surrounding cultural appropriation, guiding listeners to make conscious fashion and design choices. By definition, cultural appropriation is "the adoption or exploitation of a historically marginalized culture by a dominant culture." Understanding both the history and cultural significance of objects and styles is an important first step toward avoiding appropriation. Here, Art of Citizenry's Manpreet Kaur Kalra is joined by Katherine Bissell Cordova and Andrea Dennis (Chicago Fair Trade) and Zachary Rochester (Iowa City Fair Trade Coalition). The episode focuses on "the fair trade and social impact space," and narrows in on three examples where cultural appropriation is common: language, symbols, and fashion. In addition to the materials provided in the hour-long episode, readers will also find select Resources About Cultural Appropriation at the bottom of the show notes page. [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

London's Fashion and Textile Museum prides itself as "the only museum in the UK dedicated to showcasing contemporary fashion and textile design." Founded in 2003, the museum is home to a variety of exhibitions and events. Though the museum is currently closed, with plans to open soon (subject to COVID-19 guidelines), the organization added virtual elements in March 2020 to keep everyone fashionable from afar. The blog is a rich source of fashion news and history, and also serves as a space to highlight exhibition items. For example, readers can learn about the history of t-shirts as a canvas for personal and political expression (see the February 24, 2020 entry), view some iconic outfits worn by Princess Diana (September 4, 2020), and download templates and activities to step into the shoes of a designer (April 30, 2020). Other digital tours and learning guides are available for a small fee (booking options are listed on the Home page). Readers will also find the museum on Twitter (@FashionTextile), Instagram (@fashiontextilemuseum), and Facebook (same as previous handle). [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource

Readers curious about how fashion has evolved over time may want to return to this resource, which provides a wealth of temporal and topical style analysis. The entire 07-26-2019 Scout Report, where the Fashion History Timeline was originally featured, may also be of interest, as its thematic focus was fashion history, generally.

The Fashion History Timeline is an excellent resource for learning about how fashion, textiles, and other garments have evolved over time across the world. The timeline is a project of the Fashion Institute of Technology and began in 2015 as part of a class that created artwork analysis entries. New visitors to the site may want to begin on the About page, which provides some interesting insight into the history and mission of the timeline, which "aims to be an important contribution to public knowledge of the history of fashion and to serve as a constantly growing and evolving resource not only for students and faculty, but also for the wider world of those interested in fashion and dress history (from the Renaissance scholar to the simply curious)." Visitors can browse fashion by time period, ranging from prehistoric to modern day. The site also features essays that encompass artwork and garment analysis, for example. Readers may also want to look through a fashion history dictionary, read about designers, and browse the timeline's blog. An extremely useful aspect of the site for those conducting research is the source database, which includes hundreds of digital surrogates of primary source material relating to fashion history. [JLB] [EMB]

Comment on or rate this resource