This document outlines five approaches for conceptually studying archived websites as historical objects: (1) delimiting the website's scope, (2) preserving and reconstructing website content over time, (3) analyzing embedded histories within archive collections, (4) researching prior website versions carefully, and (5) using archived websites to study broader historical topics like societal changes or specific institutions. The goal is to understand how archived websites can add new perspectives to existing historiographical approaches and history writing.

1. THE WEBSITE AS OBJECT OF
HISTORIOGRAPHICAL STUDY
PROF. DR. RICHARD ROGERS
UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM

2. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is to be conceptually studied?
1) The taming and capturing of the website.
2) The preserving and reanimating of the website.
*3) The embedded historiographies.
*4) The research use of the existing historiographies.
*5) How else to use the archived websites for history-writing?

3. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is conceptually studied?
1) The taming and capturing of the website.
"How can the object of historical study - the website - be delimited,
both on the web and as an archived website?"
(Brugger, 2009: p. 116)

4. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is to be conceptually studied?
2) The preserving and reanimating of the website.
a) "The web is a unique mixture of the ephemeral and the
permanent.
b) Specialied tools and techniques are required to ensure that
content can be viewed again at a later time.
c) Content, once presented, needs to be reconstructed or
represented in order for others to experience it temporally."
(Schneider & Foot, 2004: p. 114)

5. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is to be conceptually studied?
3) The embedded historiographies in Web archives
Wayback machine (single-site histories - "biographical" history)
LOC & other special collections ("event-based" history)
National libraries ("national" history)

10. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is to be conceptually studied?
4) The research use of the existing historiographies.
Evidentiary context.
"Gathering evidence of prior versions of Web sites should be
performed in a careful forensic manner with cognizance of the
underlying technology used in the archiving process."
(Howell, 2006: 3)

14. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is to be conceptually studied?
5) How else to use the archived websites for history-writing?
a) Read history of web from history of a website? (google.com)
b) Read impact of web on Institution? (library, newspaper, court)
c) Read societal change or stability from agendas and issue lists
on governmental and non-governmental websites? (whitehouse.gov)
What does the website add to existing histories and history-writing?

15. THE WEBSITE AS ARCHIVED
OBJECT
How is to be conceptually studied? - Summary
1) The taming and capturing of the website.
2) The preserving and reanimating of the website.
3) The embedded historiographies.
4) The research use of the existing historiographies.
5) How else to use the archived websites for history-writing?

16. "Methods for Web history"
THANK YOU
Digital Methods Initiative, http://www.digitalmethods.net
Govcom.org Foundation, http://www.govcom.org
Richard Rogers, University of Amsterdam, rogers@uva.nl