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Das Potential von Mikrodaten sozial- und wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Erhebungen und amtlicher Statistiken für die zeithistorische Forschung
Raphael, Lutz | Wagner, Gert G.
Journal of Contextual Economics – Schmollers Jahrbuch, Vol. 135 (2015), Iss. 3 : pp. 335–342
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Lutz Raphael, Universität Trier, Fachbereich III: Neuere und Neueste Geschichte, 54286 Trier
Gert G. Wagner, Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin), 10108 Berlin
Abstract
The source-critical analysis and use of statistical micro data from official statistical sources and surveys continues to present methodological and conceptual challenges for contemporary historical research as well as for the social, economic, and behavioral sciences themselves. Up to now, historical studies have cited statistical findings essentially as objective facts, with almost no critical examination of the underlying data sources. This is particularly surprising given that for historians, the unquestioned use of sources would be entirely out of question with their usual source material (mainly written texts and documents). In light of the extraordinary value of micro data as a research source, systematic analysis of raw data both from official statistical agencies and from scientific survey and panel research is a desideratum for contemporary historical research. The focus of discussion in this paper is on topics of innovative contemporary historical research in which the use of microdata archives is particulary fruitful. From an organizational perspective, we underline the primacy of research in planning and developing potentially useful microdata archives for contemporary history. Our discussion also addresses crucial questions of the critical analysis of statistical microdata and the further development of methodological approaches to documenting and evaluating these data from a source-critical perspective.