‘Contemporary history in the digital age’ Symposium (Luxembourg, 15 and 16 October 2009)

The University of Luxembourg (Master's in Contemporary European History) and the Virtual Resource Centre for Knowledge about Europe (CVCE) are organising a Symposium to be held in October 2009, whose theme will be ‘Contemporary history in the digital age'.


The use of the computer and Internet in the methods, techniques and work of historians is coming under ever-wider examination. However, contemporary history as a subject has remained relatively detached from the use of digital applications for academic purposes - excepting word processing and electronic mail ‒ and from those methodological studies linked to it.


Nonetheless, information and communication technologies can offer a number of possibilities to contemporary history studies in terms of publication, the collection of primary and secondary sources, networking, data visualisation, etc., not to forget that the Web is itself becoming an archive. The application of digital technology to the study of contemporary history is therefore destined to increase, and our discipline to change drastically with it.

This Symposium will focus on a simple question, but one offering complex answers: ‘Will the Web provide us with a better understanding of history?'


The Symposium will combine contributions and workshop activities in three areas:

1. Contemporary history on the Web today: resources and tools;

2. Contemporary history on the Web today: methods and writing;

3. Contemporary history on the Web tomorrow: what will the future digital environment be for researchers in contemporary history?


Further information can be found at http://www.digitalhumanities.lu/ and http://blog.digitalhumanities.lu/.

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