Why Go from Texts to Data, or The Digital Humanities as A Critique of the Humanities

Digital humanities are accused of contributing to the decay of Academia in general and of betraying the humanities principles. Through looking at the developments of the field, as well as at its research principles and practices, this article seeks to refute such an allegation, and to show that the passionate debates the digital humanities still raise are related to their critical stance towards 'traditional' SSH research. In the first part, the collaborative and FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) that characterise DH approach are examined, in connection with the dissatisfaction they express towards the established research practices and organisation. Based on an example of the exploration of the archives of the Hispanic 20th century vanguard, the second part focuses more specifically on the challenges of working with data and of haptic thinking in the literary and cultural fields.