Risk the drift! Stretching disciplinary boundaries through critical collaborations between the humanities and visualization

In this paper, we discuss collaborations that can emerge between humanities and visualization researchers. Based on four case studies we illustrate different collaborative constellations within such cross-disciplinary projects that are influenced as much by the general project goals as by the expertise, disciplinary background and individual aims of the involved researchers. We found that such collaborations can introduce productive tensions that stretch the boundaries of visualization research and the involved humanities fields, often leaving team members “adrift” trying to make sense of findings that are the result of a mixture of different (sometimes competing) research questions, methodologies, and underlying assumptions. We discuss inherent challenges and productive synergies that these drifts can introduce. We argue that greater critical attention must be brought to the collaborative process itself in order to facilitate effective cross-disciplinary collaborations, and also enhance potential contributions and research impact for all involved disciplines. We introduce a number of guiding questions to facilitate critical awareness and reflection throughout the collaborative process, allowing for more transparency, productive communication, and equal participation within research teams.