ABOUT BIG DATA AND DIGITAL NEO-POSITIVISM IN HISTORY RESEARCH

The text discusses the rise of digital initiatives in historical research, particularly emphasizing the increase in the number of large repositories and archival collections. This proliferation is seen as part of the “big data” trend that needs to be debated in the discipline. Some examples of projects with a strong empirical approach are presented (such asTranskribusandTime Machine), and how these initiatives are associated with discussions about the supposed irrelevance of theory. The article proposes ideas for debate, indicating digital training as a necessity in preparing historians in the face of a sea of uncertainties and algorithms.

Keywords:
big data; Neopositivism; digital history; digital tools; digital historical sources