25 examples of research with impact: Shaping the future of historical research in a digital age

As the FNR marks 25 years since its creation, we highlight 25 examples of FNR-supported research with impact

Andreas Fickers joined the University of Luxembourg in 2013, becoming director of the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH) in 2016. The historian’s research explores the intersections of digital history, experimental media archaeology, the European history of technology, and transmedia storytelling, with a focus on how media, technology, and narrative formats shape our understanding of the past.

“The mass digitization of archival collections & libraries has completely changed the ecosystem of historical research in the past 20 years. We have moved from an “age of scarcity” to an “age of abundance” in just two decades, and the whole chain of historical knowledge production- from information retrieval to source analysis to interpretation and the production of a historical narrative – is affected by this. This is why I advocate so strongly for an “update” of our classic hermeneutics to the digital age. ”

Andreas Fickers Director, C²DH | Professor of Contemporary and Digital History, University of Luxembourg

Setting new standards in historical study of popular culture

The project “Popkult 60”, supported by the international strand of the FNR’s CORE programme, set new standards in the historical study of popular culture in the long sixties. It systematically promoted a transnational and intermedial perspective, in the process challenging the predominant narrative of “Americanization”.

Another project, “Doing Experimental Media Archaeology”, also supported by a CORE grant, (DEMA) led to a wealth of hands-on experiments, opening a door to innovative formats of documentation and re-enactment. In addition, the close collaboration with the engineering department of the University enabled the production of innovative 3D models as well as 3D printed replica of obsolete media technologies.

AI especially relevant in digital history

Fickers explains that while the future impact of AI is a key topic for all areas in humanities and social sciences in general, it is especially the case in digital history. The C²DH has set up an internal task force on the topic that is working on preparing a “manifesto” on responsible and critical use of AI in historical research. A new professor position on “AI & History” has just been advertised.

Journal of Digital History & the importance of interdisciplinarity

“The “Journal of Digital History” that we created at C²DH in a joint-venture with the publisher DeGruyter-Brill has become the central platform for the publication of data-driven historical research. It offers a unique design and multi-layered system for the publication of innovative scholarship, giving access to research data and enabling the reproduction of research results by sharing code and data.”

Interdisciplinarity is an important word in digital history. Fickers has headed two Doctoral Training Units funded via the FNR’s PRIDE programme, one titled “Digital History and Hermeneutics” and the other “Deep Data Science of Digital History”. Fickers names them as perfect examples of interdisciplinary “trading zones” in the field of digital humanities, also leading to many innovative PhD theses.

As a testament to his dedication to mentoring and taking the next generation under his wing, Fickers was the first recipient of the FNR Award for Outstanding Mentor, introduced in 2021. The award – for which only mentees can nominate someone, often without their knowledge – recognises mentors that go above and beyond.

Public outreach key mission

Returning to the topic of training future historians, an online tutorial by the name of “Ranke2”, developed for digital source criticism, has had an important impact on how students and the general public alike are trained in the historical method of source criticism.

The general public is an important audience for the C²DH, with public outreach being a key mission. Several forms and formats of “public history” with a strong focus on new digital methods of participation and engagement are promoted. One example is the work of FNR ATTRACT Fellow Thomas Cauvin, whose project revolves around actively involving the general public in the production of history. Cauvin is specialised in public history and Head of the ‘Public History and Outreach’ Research Area at C²DH.

“We see digital public history as a new form of citizen science of the past, trying to engage with a great variety of publics and aiming at “sharing authority” between professional historians and the large number of people interested in history in the country.”