The Open Source Platform Galaxy: A Gateway to Digital Humanities and Research Data Management

Starting with digital text or media analyses in the Humanities can come with several challenges. High costs for specialised software, a lack of administrator rights to install these tools, and limited programming skills can all be significant barriers. Furthermore, it is essential to implement good scientific practices and manage research data effectively. When multiple requirements overlap, it can become increasingly difficult to realise a new digital project. This proof of concept examines how the Galaxy open-source analysis platform [1] can precisely tackle these challenges in the Humanities. Using the example of a text comparison from a historical dissertation,[2] it shows how the platform [3] originally developed in the life sciences can be usefully applied to Humanities research. The comparison which was initially carried out manually was automated using Galaxy, which significantly increased the efficiency and informative value of the results. A step-by-step analysis using different programs—referred to as tools in Galaxy—creates a workflow that compares a censored Chinese newspaper to an uncensored one. Galaxy not only provides a user-friendly interface for these analysis tools, rather than relying on the command line, but it also allows researchers to trace each step of the analysis and examine all partial results. This enables researchers to verify the outcomes of each analysis step, offering insight into what is often considered a "black box" in digital analyses. That way not only the data created (in each step) but also the whole process can be shared under the FAIR principles. This highlights that open science is feasible in the Humanities, even when the underlying data comes from proprietary sources, as was the case with my dissertation. Instead of sharing the analysed texts, providing the workflow used to analyse them opens up new possibilities. Research data management is closely linked to the analysis process in Galaxy, making it more accessible. This can be achieved in a reproducible environment and often requires just a few clicks. Galaxy offers integration with Zenodo and other invenioRDM instances like BERD Data Portal [4] allowing users to upload data directly from the platforms. Additionally, it facilitates the export of analyses, selected datasets, workflows, and relevant information using RO-Crate. This example demonstrates the usefulness of Galaxy as a tool for text analysis but is also applicable across various disciplines due to the platform's modular design. In addition to text analysis tools, there are other programs available, such as Whisper for speech-to-text conversion, imaging tools, and interactive environments like Jupyter Notebooks, RStudio, QGIS, and various others. By utilising Galaxy, researchers can concentrate on their core competencies while enhancing the visibility and traceability of their methods. Additionally, the Galaxy Training Network [5] offers Open Educational Resources (OER) where researchers can make their workflows into trainings so others can re-build them step by step. Users can follow along in self-learning, and instructors can re-use the trainings in workshops. That all of this is within reach by using a web browser lowers the hurdles to start with digital analyses and works towards digital analyses for everyone.