What is Digital History?

Digital history is a new field that uses digital technology and computational methods to explore, understand, and represent the past. Hannu Salmi's introduction provides an overview of the origins, concepts, and methods of digital history, particularly in the born-digital era. It is a valuable resource for students and scholars of history and other humanities fields.

Format: Hardback
Length: 156 pages
Publication date: 16 October 2020
Publisher: Polity Press

Digital history is a rapidly evolving field that harnesses the power of digital technology and computational techniques to explore, understand, and represent the past in innovative and groundbreaking ways. This global endeavor attracts scholars from all corners of the world, fostering a collaborative spirit that offers exciting new avenues for historical inquiry.

Hannu Salmi stands as a leading authority. In his comprehensive introduction to digital history, he delves into the origins of the digital study of history, examining how history manifests itself in the digital realm. He introduces fundamental concepts and ideas such as databases and archives, interdisciplinarity, and public engagement, providing a solid foundation for those embarking on this interdisciplinary field.

Salmi also addresses the challenges and methodologies involved in studying big data, both textual and visual, with a particular focus on the born-digital era—the contemporary age predominantly characterized by digital existence. This era presents unique challenges and opportunities, requiring researchers to navigate the complexities of digital preservation, analysis, and interpretation.

Digital history is an essential resource for students of history and other humanities fields, as well as anyone interested in how digitization and digital cultures are reshaping the study of history. By leveraging the power of technology and engaging with a wide range of disciplines, digital history enables us to uncover new insights, challenge traditional narratives, and forge a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of our past.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 143 x 221 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509537013