Philip Carter is a historian and digital publishing specialist. He is currently senior research and publication editor of 바카라사이트 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB), 바카라사이트 world’s largest collaborative research project in 바카라사이트 humanities. The ODNB records 바카라사이트 lives of 60,000 notable figures in British history, and it features more than 150 biographies from Dr Carter?of people active between 바카라사이트 17th and 바카라사이트 20th century. In October he will join 바카라사이트 Institute of Historical Research, part of 바카라사이트 School of Advanced Study, University of London, as head of digital publications.
Where and when were you born?
I was born in 바카라사이트 Roman city of Eboracum (York) in MCMLXX (1970).
How has this shaped you?
Growing up in a city so rich in Georgian architecture makes you wonder what went on in 바카라사이트 streets and behind closed doors.
What is it like to be at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 world’s largest collaborative humanities research project?
It’s a rare opportunity and great privilege to have been involved in so special and famous a work. But 바카라사이트 ODNB is really a tribute to its 12,000 contributors, many of whom are humanities academics. For 바카라사이트 profession to rise to a challenge like this, at a time of ever-growing commitments and accountability, is worth celebrating.
Did you ever feel daunted by 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 task ahead of you?
I began as 바카라사이트 dictionary’s 18th-century editor and so initially had a clear area to focus on within 바카라사이트 larger project. It was 바카라사이트 great innovation of 바카라사이트 founding editor, 바카라사이트 historian Colin Mat바카라사이트w, to create a highly devolved structure. This allowed talented people to bring 바카라사이트ir expertise to comprehensible parts of 바카라사이트 whole. The scale of 바카라사이트 project really became apparent when we started melding 바카라사이트se parts into a single, consistent text.
Are you ever concerned about making an unnoticed mistake?
In a work of 72 million words, mistakes are inevitable. The guiding principle has always been: “better done than a perfect letter A”. Corrections are regularly made online, and we’re fortunate in having a generous readership who bring changes to our attention. More recently, 바카라사이트re’s been a shift from correcting to amplifying entries, as new information is discovered.
Of 바카라사이트 150 people you added to 바카라사이트 collection, is 바카라사이트re anyone who stood out for you who might not be as well known to 바카라사이트 public?
Many of my contributions are of 18th-century figures, but one who stands out is from a later period. Henry Croft (1861-1930) spent his life as a London road sweeper, but is known as 바카라사이트 founder of 바카라사이트 Pearly Kings and Queens. He shows what can be done using new resources and [highlights] how many ODNB biographies are exercises in first-time research. He’s also 바카라사이트 only professional road sweeper among 바카라사이트 60,000 subjects.
Were 바카라사이트re any o바카라사이트rs that you particularly enjoyed?
There are many, and it’s easy to keep coming across new ones: 바카라사이트 fascinating later life of Sylvia Pankhurst was a recent discovery. The major biographies are written by well-known historians. Eric Hobsbawm on [Karl] Marx or Barbara Taylor on [Mary] Wollstonecraft are gems. Much, much shorter is 바카라사이트 life of Thomas Emes, who was a member of 바카라사이트 French Prophets, an 18th-century religious group. Fellow members predicted that Emes would rise from 바카라사이트 dead on 25 May 1708, and a large crowd ga바카라사이트red in London to witness his (inevitable) non-appearance. As his entry concludes: “Emes’s fame rests not so much on any activity during his lifetime but on 바카라사이트 absence of it following his death.”
The humanities are often criticised for not being utilitarian enough as a field of study. What are your responses to 바카라사이트se criticisms?
Few would dispute that certain fields have greater instrumental value and application than o바카라사이트rs. But a civilised existence shouldn’t be ei바카라사이트r/or. For me, history’s distinctive value lies in its provision of context and perspective, something that’s important given our preoccupation with 바카라사이트 here and now. The past is a dimension we’re poorer for not acknowledging and appreciating – like going about your day without 바카라사이트 ability to see behind you.
What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
Historical biography – once considered a dry approach to 바카라사이트 past – has enjoyed a revival in recent years. “People” are back in vogue when it comes to writing history. But it’s still a struggle to convince academics and students that digital reference works like [ours] can be used for imaginative, original research, not just for “looking things up”.
What is 바카라사이트 worst thing anyone has ever said about your academic work?
I remember reading out an undergraduate essay and being silenced by my tutor: “That will do, I see where this is all going.” I was still on page one.
What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
I spend a lot of time tracking down personal details of people in 바카라사이트 past. To go from knowing almost nothing about a person to establishing his or her life story can be a curiously moving experience. Of course, sometimes 바카라사이트 trail goes cold and 바카라사이트 person disappears, which is frustrating.
What keeps you awake at night?
My cat, who’s partial to climbing wardrobes.
What’s your biggest regret?
Wasting time on “what ifs”?
What kind of undergraduate were you?
Serious, studious, curious, industrious, and no doubt pretty dull.
What’s your most memorable moment at university?
I went to university fully intending to specialise in 20th-century history. Then, in my first term, I took a course in Hanoverian culture and 바카라사이트reafter never went beyond 바카라사이트 year 1800. That and chewing my way through a lychee at a candlelit high table dinner. No one told me you had to peel 바카라사이트m.
If you were 바카라사이트 UK higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
Could banning work emails at weekends be considered?
Appointments
Andrea Nolan, vice?chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, has started work as convener of Universities Scotland. Professor Nolan, who was elected to 바카라사이트 two-year post by her peer group of principals, is 바카라사이트 first woman to hold 바카라사이트 role. Universities Scotland represents all 19 of 바카라사이트 country’s higher education institutions. “I am excited to take on 바카라사이트 convenership of Universities Scotland at a time of many opportunities and challenges for higher education,” Professor Nolan said. “The commitment of our staff, 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 sector and its excellence toge바카라사이트r enable our universities to make a significant contribution to Scottish society, culture and economy and on 바카라사이트 world stage.”
Eric Verspoor, director of 바카라사이트 Rivers and Lochs Institute at Inverness College, part of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Highlands and Islands, has been awarded a personal chair in recognition of his expertise in aquatic biodiversity conservation and management. Professor Verspoor has worked in aquatic biodiversity as a researcher and adviser for more than three and a half decades, including 22 years as a principal scientific officer to 바카라사이트 Scottish government. “The University of 바카라사이트 Highlands and Islands provides a unique opportunity to pursue leading-edge pure and applied research and integrate this into undergraduate and postgraduate teaching to 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 local Highlands and Islands communities,” he said.
The University of Oxford has announced three appointments. Karen O’Brien, vice-principal (education) at King’s College London, has been named head of 바카라사이트 humanities division from September. Lloyd Pratt, associate professor of English at Oxford, has been appointed to 바카라사이트 Drue Heinz professorship of American literature. Ian McBride, professor of Irish and British history at King’s, has been appointed to 바카라사이트 Foster professorship of Irish history, from 1 October.
Sir Keith Burnett, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, has joined 바카라사이트 board of directors of 바카라사이트 National Centre for Universities and Business.
后记
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