Chronicling language, gender, and sexuality research through digital text analysis

Authors

Aidan L. Niebauer, Binghamton University--SUNYFollow
Halie Kerns, Binghamton University--SUNYFollow
Ruth Carpenter, Binghamton University--SUNYFollow

Files

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Spring 5-2-2025

First Advisor

Ruth Carpenter

Second Advisor

Halie Kerns

Keywords

digital humanities

Abstract

This project is an exploratory analysis of the field of language, gender, and sexuality using the journal Language in Society, a key publication within the fields of sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology. Chronicling over 50 years of scholarly research, a corpus of research will be analyzed with digital text analysis methods using Python, including topic modeling and sentiment analysis. The project aims to empirically analyze how a) notions of gender and sexuality are represented in linguistics research b) how language surrounding gender and sexuality is represented, discussed, and challenged through research, and c) how language regarding sexual and gender identity has evolved over the course of the journal’s history and how it mirrors the contemporary global and sociopolitical history of gender and sexuality. Preliminary research has indicated trends in men and women’s conversational differences in the 1970s and 1980s, with trends in non-binary language and sexuality emerging in the 21st century.

Recommended Citation

Niebauer, Aidan L.; Kerns, Halie; and Carpenter, Ruth, "Chronicling language, gender, and sexuality research through digital text analysis" (2025). Library Research Scholars Program Spring 2025. 1.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/library_research_scholars_2025/1