Openness
Stuart Fowkes’ commitment to openness in Cities and Memory is apparent, as he takes pride in the fact that the project is global and open to viewership and submissions by all. The project aims to make sounds from all around the world accessible to all, making the main purpose of the project inherently open.
Openness is one of the main values in digital humanities. It is defined as “a commitment to the open exchange of ideas” by Lisa Spiro in “Defining the Values of DH.” It is believed that knowledge and resources should be shared universally so that they are accessible to as many people as possible.
Collegiality and Connectedness
Collegiality and connectedness are evident throughout Fowkes’ project. Fowkes encourages collaboration, as he accepts field recordings and audio editing contributions from all who wish to be involved. He is also willing to work with and aid individuals who want to help in some aspect but are unable to complete a submission in its entirety. Fowkes does the editing for those who prefer not to, and he provides field recordings for those who only wish to edit sounds.
Collegiality and Connectedness is another value that is emphasized by digital humanities. Spiro defines the value as the idea of “welcoming contributions and offering help to those who need it.” This value touches on the collaborative nature of digital humanities, and also on the kind and helpful environment the discipline aims to maintain.