History is not an isolated field – far removed from our subjects and other scholars – though it might appear that way at times. The image of the lone, bespectacled person, bending over mountains of words, papers scattered across the desk is kind of outdated. Honestly, I’m rather glad of that. I don’t mind spending all my time reading alone in a grand library (hah, I wish), but without anyone else’s opinion, ideas, or balance, my work would be incredibly one-dimensional.
It's so important to recognize the many variations of the historical field, such as public and digital history; two things I’m rather passionate about, as shown by their intersection in this internship. Public history is something of a “what it says on the tin” subject: it is history that engages the public. Digital history on the other hand…well okay it’s also what’s on the tin: leveraging technology in the study and disbursement of history. I still consider myself a “traditional” historian as I don’t think I can fully extricate myself from it, but the internship, and my continuing education, reinforces how interdisciplinary history really is and should be. It has shown that integrating not only different approaches, but also different expertise can enrich our ability to make history more relevant and impactful.
Let’s think about how many different kinds of jobs are involved with the Samuel Johnson Dictionary Project. Initially you might think of me (I’m flattered), an intern/researcher. Moving from there, we have a range of specialties and roles, few of which have to do directly with history. Our fearless leader/my supervisor is an English professor. Project management also done by said fearless leader. There is a programmer to do back-end work on the website. Volunteers working on metadata and proofreading. Social media being done, data collected, UX/UI design, a myriad of expertise all contributing to a public history project and far fewer history degrees than would ever be expected. In a similar way to a history major not ending up working in history, other majors may inevitably be affected by, or work in, history.
Keeping an open mind, understanding that many hands make quick work, and having an interdisciplinary mindset is often far more important than having expertise in every field yourself. Especially since that would take time away from reading and that wouldn’t be very fun. By bringing others in (such as a cosmetologist when studying Ancient Roman hairstyles, a true story) you not only benefit your project directly but also those who will experience it later. More people get a seat at the table. There are so many stakeholders and possible contributors of public history projects that we may not realize until it’s too late if we don’t consider those outside our normal purview.
By embracing the interdisciplinary nature of history and fostering collaboration across various fields, we not only enrich our projects but also enhance our own understanding and appreciation of history. By learning from others and being open to new perspectives, we can ensure that our work is dynamic, inclusive, and impactful. Just as the Samuel Johnson Dictionary Project has been for me.