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Digital History

Digital History is an approach to historical research that uses computational methods and digital tools to analyze, interpret, and present the past.

Definition​

Digital History combines traditional historical methods with digital technologies to:

  • Process and analyze large-scale historical data
  • Create interactive visualizations and maps
  • Build searchable databases of historical sources
  • Develop new forms of historical storytelling

Key Characteristics​

Scale​

Digital methods allow historians to work with collections far larger than any individual could read. This enables new questions about patterns and trends across vast corpora.

Collaboration​

Digital projects often require collaboration between historians, computer scientists, librarians, and designers.

Accessibility​

Digital History projects can make historical sources and scholarship accessible to wider audiences through online platforms.

Further Reading​

  • Dougherty, J. & Nawrotzki, K. (2013). Writing History in the Digital Age
  • Graham, S., Milligan, I., & Weingart, S. (2015). Exploring Big Historical Data