Prose

Measuring Narrative Space: A Computational Study of German and English Prose Fiction [Jan 13, online, 10-12 CET]

The lecture is public and can be attended only via zoom. The talk will not be recorded.

Dr. Katrin Rohrbacher (Nürnberg/Erlangen):

Measuring Narrative Space: A Computational Study of German and English Prose Fiction

In this talk, I will present ongoing work on measuring the notion of narrative space using machine learning methods, specifically by fine-tuning BERT-based classification models and applying them to a large collection of German and English historical prose fiction, including both canonical works and non-fiction. Moving from theorization and conceptualization to dataset creation, modeling, analysis, and interpretation, I will outline the steps involved in conducting a computational study of this kind. We will examine results that show how the concepts of “setting” and “lived space” have been used in fiction over time and discuss their implications for “experientiality” and embodiment more broadly, including cross-linguistic perspectives between German and English. The talk also introduces a methodological model for iterative, interpretive “computational reading” that bridges qualitative and quantitative approaches.

When: January 13, 2026, 10-12 hs

Where:  Zoom 

Zoom link:  https://uni-bielefeld.zoom-x.de/j/67280092106?pwd=Zlzqqy980r2N7I1wTktAbbV33tCBaj.1