Digital Newspapers, Material Knowledge: Grappling with the TimesMachine digital archive as a repository of knowledge

Chelsea A. Rodriguez*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

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    Abstract

    This article explores the functionality and character of the TimesMachine, the digital archive of the New York Times, as it relates to research in the history of knowledge and history of education. The TimesMachine was designed specifically to improve the accessibility and contextualization of digital newspapers. However, the fog of digitization still complicates how researchers can (and should) use these digitized newspapers as sources of knowledge. Using the TimesMachine as a case study, this article aims to contribute to current conversations regarding the possibilities and limitations of digital archives and to demonstrate the importance of digital literacy for historians. There are several takeaways from this article that can help researchers make informed methodological choices in their pursuit of history, including the re-centering of materiality in the digital space and the integration of interdisciplinary and digital methods in the history of knowledge.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationHistory of Intellectual Culture
    Subtitle of host publicationModes of Publication
    EditorsCharlotte A. Lerg, Johan Östling, Jana Weiß
    Place of PublicationLund
    PublisherDe Gruyter Oldenbourg
    Pages77-97
    Number of pages21
    Volume2
    ISBN (Electronic)9783111078038
    ISBN (Print)9783111077833
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 24-Oct-2023

    Publication series

    NameHistory of Intellectual Culture
    PublisherDe Gruyter
    Volume2
    ISSN (Print)2747-6766
    ISSN (Electronic)2747-677

    Keywords

    • Digital archive
    • The New York Times
    • digital newspapers
    • sources of knowledge
    • digital methods

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