Crowdsourcing History: Social Media as a Historical Source?

The project invites students to explore the concept of crowdsourcing history through social media, where users contribute to the documentation and interpretation of historical events. Students will analyse the benefits of this approach, such as the democratisation of history, the inclusion of diverse perspectives, and the rapid dissemination of information. However, they will also consider the drawbacks, including the risk of inaccuracies, lack of scholarly rigour, and the potential for bias. As a final deliverable, students will pick one historical event that has been highlighted on social media in recent years and contrast the interpretation of the chosen event vis-a-vis traditional and social media sources. Are social media sources reliable in building a revisionist understanding of the chosen event? Or are they inaccurate and biased? The project aims to equip students with understanding historical sources, avoiding misinformation on social media, and appreciating the intermingling of history with modern technology and politics.