Towards Digital History. New Possibilities – New Challenges

Abstract

Following the information and communication technologies development, the new kind of interdisciplinary research has been formed and termed the digital history. It focuses on the issues regarding data processing “from and about the past”. It’s a unique link between a specialist range of historical research and a contemporary theory and practice of information use. On the one hand, the digital history helps with particular stages of the research carried out by the historian. On the other hand, owing to abilities of various communities’ integration, it can have an effect on the research organization, theory, tools and methods. Therefore, it fulfils practical and theoretical function. The digital history allows one to examine and solve pragmatic and/or conceptual problems connected with the use of information science and information technologies in teaching and historical research and social transferring of knowledge about the past. Apart from terminological questions and issues regarding the digital history, its edifying research methods and the main areas of its implementation have been discussed as well. They give a chance to implement much more productive, sophisticated and innovative practices. What is more, they require understanding the essence of transformation taking place today.