One of the defining strengths of Digital Humanities lies in its ability to bring together diverse disciplines to explore cultural and societal questions through computational approaches. While DH has long adapted methods from computer science, other STEM fields—including mathematics and physics—also offer powerful analytical and modeling tools that open new perspectives for humanities research.
DHSS is pleased to welcome Dr. Mikhail Tamm (Tallinn University), a cultural physicist with extensive expertise in modeling cultural and societal phenomena. His research explores how methods from physics can be applied to understand complex cultural systems and patterns, such as modeling language competition.
Among his recent work is a study published in Nature Cities (2026), which introduces a novel mathematical approach to modeling bias in cultural data. Using Soviet newsreel archives as a case study, the article demonstrates how uneven visibility of cities can be quantified and analyzed, offering new ways to understand bias in historical and cultural datasets.
During his visit to DHSS on June 15–19, 2026, Dr. Tamm will engage with researchers and discuss how STEM methodologies can enrich Digital Humanities scholarship. He will present his latest research in the DHSS Kolloquium on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Join us to explore how physics, mathematics, and Digital Humanities can intersect to generate innovative approaches to studying culture and society!
Host of the visit: Prof. Dr. Mila Oiva.