Digital Database to Unveil Historical Travel Routes
At the heart of Midura's research is the development of an innovative digital database, EmDigIt, poised to become an indispensable resource for historical travel research. This digital platform will host the findings from an in-depth analysis of at least 86 travel itineraries or guidebooks, shedding light on the myriad of natural disasters, trade routes, and navigational challenges encountered by travelers, predominantly across Europe.
Midura's approach to historical travel research is notably inclusive, focusing on the diverse social strata that utilized published travel guides. "Prior work has often relied on journals or letters of predominantly male and elite travelers, but published guides were used by a cross section of early modern society," Midura explains. This inclusive research methodology promises to broaden our understanding of early modern travel, offering insights into the nascent stages of modern tourism.
Collaborative Research and Workshops to Enhance Digital Humanities
To further this ambitious project, Midura has convened an advisory board and selected 15 researchers from various affiliations, career stages, and geographical locations. These researchers will participate in three virtual workshops throughout the year, collaborating on research utilizing EmDigIt. The project underscores the potential of digital humanities to foster a collaborative research environment, uniting scholars from around the globe in a shared pursuit of knowledge.
The culmination of this collaborative effort will be a conference in Washington, D.C., in August, where participants will present their findings and discuss the implications of their research on the understanding of historical travel and its contribution to the early stages of globalization.
Significance of the Research
The significance of Midura's work extends beyond academic circles, offering a valuable historical resource to the public, authors, and game designers alike. By digitizing and interpreting historical travel data, the project aims to immerse users in the travel experiences of centuries past, providing detailed insights into how travel options evolved over time.
"These books give us detailed answers while also letting us measure how options changed over time," Midura states, highlighting the project's potential to enrich our understanding of historical travel dynamics. This research not only sheds light on individual experiences and the movement of goods and information but also traces the early contours of globalization, drawing connections between the past and our contemporary interconnected world.
This research project, backed by the NEH and spearheaded by Rachel Midura at Virginia Tech, represents a significant advancement in the field of digital humanities. By reconstructing the world of early modern travel through a digital lens, Midura and her team promise to open new avenues for understanding our global past, enhancing our appreciation for the complexities of historical travel and its impact on the world today.
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