Quantitative history

Quantitative history is an approach to historical research that makes use of quantitative, statistical and computer tools. It is considered a branch of social science history and has four leading journals: Historical Methods (1967- ),Journal of Interdisciplinary History (1968- ), the Social Science History (1976- ), and Cliodynamics: The Journal of Quantitative History and Cultural Evolution (2010- ).

Quantitative historians start with databases. Large quantities of economic and demographic data are available in print format. Quantifiers move these into computerized databases. The largest repository is the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan, which provides access to an extensive collection of downloadable political and social data for the United States and the world.

Economic historians use major data sets, especially those collected by governments since the 1920s. Historians of slavery have used census data, sales receipts and price information to reconstruct the economic history of slavery.

Content analysis is a technique borrowed from journalism research whereby newspapers, magazines or similar sources are numerically coded according to a standardized list of topics. [Neuendorf, The Content Analysis Guidebook (2002)]

Quantifiers study topics like voting behavior of groups in elections, the roll call behavior of legislators, public opinion distribution, and the occurrence rate of wars and legislation. 'Collective biography uses standardized information on a large group to deduce patterns of thought and behavior.

The "new social historians" (new in the 1960s) use census data and other data sets to study entire populations. Topics include demographic issues such as population growth rates, rates of birth, death, marriage and disease, occupational and education distributions, and migrations and population changes.

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