Postgraduate Course: The Future of the Past? Doing History in the Digital Era (PGHC11601)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | What does it mean to do history in the digital age? In this course, we will examine how technology has changed how historians carry out their work, review existing projects from across the humanities, and experiment with an array of tools and methods for digitally-driven research. |
| Course description |
Over the last few decades, technology has transformed virtually every aspect of the historian's craft: from how evidence is accessed and analysed to how scholarship is shared with both experts and wider audiences. While the possibilities seem endless, so do the perils. Computers deal in 1s and 0s, yet history is never so binary. What happens when we approach our sources as repositories of data? Has keyword searching reshaped the questions we ask about the past? Do maps and graphs provide a more accessible and objective way to present our findings than traditional linear texts? How can historians tackle things such as digital ethics, information overload and algorithmic bias?
This course offers a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities of doing history in this new environment, with a particular focus on the study of the medieval and early modern periods. It is structured around the lifecycle of a research project. The first few weeks focus on how to approach and manipulate sources by digital means, followed by sessions on digital analysis and interpretation, mapping and visualisation, communication and collaboration. As the semester unfolds, students will have the chance to develop a project of their own, and practice critical skills in the production and dissemination of knowledge in today's digital world.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 3 History courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course ** |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
80 %,
Practical Exam
20 %
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| Feedback |
Students are expected to discuss their coursework with the Course Organiser at least once prior to submission, and are encouraged to do so more often. Meetings can take place with the Course Organiser during their published office hours or by appointment. Students will also receive feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the Course Organiser.
Students will first receive feedback on their projects following the submission of their mid-semester plan. They will have the opportunity to discuss this at length with the course organiser by meeting with them individually during the flexible learning week. Further feedback will be provided by peers in the form of comments and questions about the presentations students will deliver in week 11. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Enter into a constructive dialogue about the ways in which digital technologies are changing how scholarship is done and communicated
- Apply effectively a number of digital instruments and methodologies to the creation and dissemination of historical knowledge
- Engage productively with a range of DH outputs and initiatives, and be able to critically assess their advantages and limitations
- Design an independent project with a significant digital component and make structured plans for every stage of its development
- Transfer the skills and sensibilities acquired during the course to careers in teaching, heritage, media and the third sector
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Reading List
Ian Milligan, The Transformation of Historical Research in the Digital Age, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2022 -- a short but thoughtful treatment by a leading scholar in the field
Toni Weller (ed.), History in the Digital Age, London: Routledge, 2013 -- same focus as the first but as an edited collection of essays by various authors
Roy Rosenzweig, Clio Wired: The Future of the Past in the Digital Age, New York: Columbia University Press, 2011 -- a classic introduction to the impact of the web on the practice and understanding of history
Jonathan Blaney, Jane Winters, Sarah Milligan and Martin Steer (eds.), Doing Digital History: A Beginner's Guide to Working with Text as Data, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2021 -- a simple yet comprehensive guide aimed particularly at historians working with written records
Shawn Graham, Ian Milligan, Scott B. Weingart and Kim Martin (eds.), Exploring Big Historical Data: The Historian's Macroscope, Singapore: World Scientific, 2022 (2nd edition) -- a more detailed and complementary guide to the one above, focusing on quantitative approaches
Johanna Drucker, The Digital Humanities Coursebook. An Introduction to Digital Methods for Research and Scholarship, London: Routledge, 2021 -- a brilliant textbook by a renowned author and cultural critic, including suggestions for hands-on exercises
Failing Gloriously and Other Essays -- an academic memoir by archaeologist turned digital humanist Shawn Graham, offering an honest look at the realities of pursuing DH projects
The Digital Humanities Research Group at HCA -- contains a list of both completed and ongoing projects based in our school. Especially useful for those who have an interest in Scottish history
The Centre for Data, Culture and Society -- Edinburgh's hub for digital research and events across the arts, humanities and social sciences. Great to get a sense of the type of DH training and activities on offer at our university
Humanities Research in the Digital Age -- a free course developed by The Open University together with specialists from Oxford and Cambridge. Covers all the basics in about 10 hours of texts, quizzes and short videos
The Programming Historian -- an excellent resource with both beginner level and advanced lessons on DH tools and methods. For anyone looking to try something out ahead of the course
The DH research guide by the University of Illinois -- a good place to go for more links to introductory readings and journals as well as sample projects and tutorials |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Familiarity with a diverse body of literature, thinking and information about the risks and promises of digital approaches for the world of knowledge
Confidence to make an informed choice about the adoption of some of the key digital tools and methods that are transforming the practice of history
Capacity to evaluate existing DH content and technologies, and build on their lessons to create resources that are fair, rigorous and engaging
Practice in developing a proposal for digitally-driven research, pitching it both orally and in writing, and appraising those of others
Readiness to apply the insights, abilities and experiences acquired during the course to a variety of non-academic ventures |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Luca Zenobi
Tel: (01316) 506693
Email: lzenobi@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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