For sceptics and enthusiasts alike: What is – and what is the virtue of – ‘digital’ historical research
Abstract
Historians remain divided on the question of the role digital sources, methods and tools could, or should, play in historical research: while some believe our discipline has missed important developments in the confusing field of digital humanities and is only slowly catching up, others believe the current hype surrounding digital humanities will be short-lived or that only isolated approaches could be meaningfully applied to the field of historical research. There has, to date, been a lack of clarity regarding which aspects of digital activities and research are currently significant for historians and which could prove to be so in future.
This panel is designed for those colleagues that are interested in digital source material and how it can be processed within research, but it is also aimed at those who are seeking information regarding existing resources and products for digital data generation and use. Core questions of our discipline will be discussed, such as those exploring the methodological implications of digital tools or ways in which the quality of historical research can be assured in the digital age. This will include an exploration of essential standards for digital source material and why they are considered to be so important. It will also address specific research problems that occur in practice: how can historians who are not computer literate or who have only very basic computer skills make use of large research and data infrastructure tools such as CLARIN-D and DARIAH-DE? What is the potential of such instruments and what are their limitations? How can lecturers and tutors integrate digital material into their propaedeutic work and lectures?
This short panel session hopes to bring sceptics and enthusiasts together; giving them the opportunity to discuss such questions and to build bridges within the discipline. It consists of presentations from Prof. Andreas Fickers and Christian Thomas as well as a podium discussion.