Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.7, 2019

 

Cross-disciplinary Exploration of the Construction of the Historiography of Information

(Abstract)

 

Wang Xudong

 

The historiography of the 21th century occurs in an information age; benefits from the progress of information society; and must serve the needs of consultation and decision-making of that society. Exploration of the theoretical construction of the historiography of information and essays at its practical application represent an active reaction to the new challenge presented to historians. The historiography of information holds that the fundamental principle of historiography is information: the reading and writing undertaken in historical research constitute an information flow between subject and object; and the whole course of historical research is a complete process of information processing. The aim of the historiography of information is to deconstruct and abstract history, historical cognition, and historical interpretation to the level of information and then systematically synthesize and apply the relevant ideas, methods, technological support and realization techniques to information, information theory, information science, and applied informatization, with a view to in-depth exploration of issues in the field of historiography (including what is history; the subject/object in history; qualitative and quantitative historical research; historical relations and roles; the process of expression; the presentation of historical conclusions; etc.) Both the theoretical construction of the historiography of information and its practical application represent cross-disciplinary breakthroughs in historical thinking and modes of expression.