From Numbers to Narratives:Word Embeddings and Semantic Graphs as Hermeneutic Strategies in Textual Analysis

The conventional divide between qualitative and quantitative textual analysis—where the former delves into interpretive nuance<br/>and the latter focuses on scalable computation—is far less definitive than it may seem. In this workshop tutorial, we explore how<br/>neural word embeddings and semantic graphs, often emblematic of quantitative methodologies, can be reconceptualized as<br/>hermeneutic tools that bridge this dichotomy. Using the monumental corpus of N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1872), a Danish polymath<br/>whose works profoundly shaped national identity and religious discourse, we demonstrate how computational approaches can<br/>complement and deepen interpretive scholarship (Baunvig &amp; Nielbo 2023).<br/>We present two interwoven arguments. First, that the qualitative resides within the quantitative (Baunvig 2024). Computational<br/>methods like word embeddings not only quantify textual relationships but also require interpretive decisions at every stage—<br/>from corpus selection and preprocessing to the visualization of semantic spaces. These choices, far from neutral, imbue the<br/>analysis with interpretive depth, revealing that computation itself is a deeply hermeneutic act.<br/>Second, meaningful computational analysis depends on an intimate understanding of the dataset and its cultural and historical<br/>contexts (cf. Nielbo, Baunvig &amp; Gao 2018). Why analyze an entire authorship like Grundtvig’s? What conditions render such a<br/>project significant? His corpus, spanning more than a thousand works, offers a unique vantage point into the intersections of<br/>Danish cultural memory and religious imagination. Yet its richness also necessitates careful reflection on the alignment of<br/>research questions with the dataset’s scope and the ethical considerations underpinning such scholarly endeavors.<br/>This workshop offers participants practical insights into leveraging word embeddings and semantic graphs to uncover symbolic<br/>structures across texts. It underscores the necessity of balancing technical rigor with interpretive sensitivity, cultivating an<br/>approach that is as methodologically sound as it is intellectually meaningful. By reframing quantitative tools as extensions of<br/>hermeneutic inquiry, we invite participants to transcend traditional boundaries and reimagine the possibilities of computational<br/>textual analysis.<br/>Join us as we navigate this compelling intersection of numbers and narratives, illuminating how data-driven methods can not<br/>only augment but also transform the interpretive study of texts.<br/>Bibliography<br/>Baunvig, KF, 2024, Grundtvig og monstrene, Odense: University Press of Southern Denmark.<br/>Baunvig, KF &amp; Nielbo, KL 2023, “Benign Structures: The Worldview of Danish National Poet, Pastor, and Politician N.F.S.<br/>Grundtvig (1783-1872)”. In A Rockenberger, J Tiemann &amp; S Gilbert (red), Conference Proceedings : DHNB2023, 1, Oslo<br/>University Press, Oslo, Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countries Publications, No. 1, vol. 5, p. 1-10, 7th Conference<br/>Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countries, Oslo, Norge, 08/03/2023. https://doi.org/10.5617/dhnbpub.10646<br/>Baunvig, KF 2023, A Computational Future? Distant Reading in the Historical Study of Religion. i M Freudenberg, F Elwert, T<br/>Karis, M Radermacher &amp; J Schlamelcher (red), Stepping Back and Looking Ahead: Twelve Years of Studying Religious Contact<br/>at the Käte Hamburger Kolleg Bochum. Brill, Leiden, Dynamics in the History of Religions, vol. 13, p. 325-352.<br/>https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004549319_013<br/>Nielbo, KL, Liu, B, Baunvig, KF &amp; Gao, J 2018, “A curious case of entropic decay: Persistent complexity in textual cultural<br/>heritage”, Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, bind 34, nr. 3, p. 542-557. https://doi.org/10.1093/llc/fqy054