HISTORICAL DATA ANALYSIS AND ARCHIVAL SCIENCES

The objective of this module is to equip students with a fundamental understanding of archival series’ content analysis. The module sets out key theorisations of archival architecture confronting classical approaches to record context (the historical method) with contemporary research methods regarding record content. It aims to identify content typologies for each record series, the series’ basic data units, track the logical data structure and link on a metacontent level recurrent key signifiers while eluding their record topography. The module will likewise illustrate the difference between archival record architecture and content record architecture underlying at the basis of a new digital humanities approach to archival sciences.

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
• describe key theoretical and conceptual archival vs. record content frameworks;
• identify basic archival series’ typologies, their content structures and their features;
• analyze different archival architectures and their formation;
• situate the historical record production within the broader context of European archival practice.