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- Title
Information technology in economic and social history: the computer as philosopher's stone or Pandora's box?
- Authors
Middleton, Roger; Wardley, Peter
- Abstract
The article focuses on the diffusion of information technology in the study of economic and social history. The mainframe pioneers of the late 1950s and 1960 all used computers to advance certain key debates and to promote a new methodology which has been labelled, according to taste, cliometrics, the new economic history, econometric history, or quantitative social science history. However, many of the important quantitative works of this period do not appear to have used computers. In the 1970s a new generation of quantitative propagators consolidated the initial work of the mainframe pioneers, applying computers and quantitative methods to broader areas and in more sophisticated ways than hitherto. Computers were not essential for all of those who applied quantitative methods or economic analysis. It is only in the 1980s, with the microcomputer generation, that IT has become fully integrated into quantitative research. Diffusion of the new technology led to the emergence of strong advocates of its potential. The renaissance of narrative history, as a reaction to quantitative social science history, inevitably led to a questioning of the value of IT. Proponents of the revival of narrative history now sought to denigrate IT.
- Subjects
INFORMATION technology; HISTORY of social sciences; QUANTITATIVE research; SOCIAL scientists; SOCIAL science methodology; METHODOLOGY
- Publication
Economic History Review, 1990, Vol 43, Issue 4, p667
- ISSN
0013-0117
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2596741