Material and digital dimensions of (global micro)history

Current tendencies in the science of history follow seemingly opposite paths: On the one hand, it’s narratives are based on written evidence, and seek to exploit this written evidence by newly developing digital technologies. Such developments aim to provide and deal with an always increasing amount of data to be analyzed at an always increasing speed at a permanently given accessibility.

On the other hand, there is a counter development to be observed: approaches demanding to turn ‘ad fontes’ once more seem to suggest or even claim for an undeniable truth in the material evidence of sources – objects, but also written documents in their physicality and material transmission.

The course explores the potential and risk of either approach to history, and seeks to develop an integrative take on both. Therefore, it covers topics such as the Material Turn, New Philology, and Digital Humanities. The course takes place within the framework of the Prize Papers Project, and is consequently set in its historiographic approach of Global Microhistory.