Digital humanities in Oman: Logistics, challenges and opportunities

Abstract

This paper focuses on the emergence, place and role of the digital humanities (DH), particularly in the Arab world, with reference to Oman, a country whose post-oil economy relies vastly on the development of national skills and expertise. It traces the development of DH globally and considers the challenges in Oman, focusing on the state of digitalisation of the economy and knowledge through both public and private development. By exploring the possible immediate and far-reaching goals of a DH program in a country that requires drastic changes to meet the economic and social needs of its citizens and residents in a twenty-first century, post-Covid-19 economy, this study looks at the extent to which institutions are primed to build upon existing scaffolding to achieve digital goals. While focusing on pedagogical outcomes and strategies, this study suggests that DH is imperative to the effective implementation of the Omani national vision 2040 in terms of facilitating knowledge creation and nation-building through heritage preservation and that the establishment of a Digital Humanities Research Centre would be essential toward promoting interdisciplinary work in a sustained and effective manner.