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Archiver > APG > 2007-09 > 1190134807


From: "Allison Ryall" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Origin of Practice of Keeping Family Records in Bibles
References: <003701c7f9ba$fe24b400$2101a8c0@YOUR58BA15CF1B><012101c7fa0e$dd71d720$4985124c@win2000a141573>
In-Reply-To: Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:00:07 -0400


Elizabeth Shown Mills wrote:
>I suspect we have a goodly number on this list, like Christine, who are
intellectually challenged by the kind of projects that would provide
theoretical and interpretive foundations for our field--if there were a
venue in which their work could be published.

I do believe there are more and more graduate level multi-disciplinary
programs within a variety of University's that are encouraging these types
of theoretical and interpretive foundations that are beneficial to the
genealogical community. However, most of these programs don't have the word
'genealogy' in the title. One must look beyond the name to find them. One
such academic program, which I am personally involved in is referred to as
American and New England Studies. While I attend the University of Southern
Maine's Masters program in this field (see
http://www.usm.maine.edu/anes/about/) there are other University that offer
both a Masters degree and a Ph.D. in this multi-disciplinary field such as
Boston University (see http://www.bu.edu/amnesp/). These types of
interpretive studies are exactly what is encouraged at my University and are
often sought out in multi-disciplinary degree programs.

Elizabeth also wrote:
>Our field does now have a significant number of Kathleens and Christines
and Karens and Carolyns and Daves (and Elizabeths--at least two of us :) who
*have* been trained to do quantitative research. But, as Kathleen says, our
teachings focus primarily on case studies. Some of us have published
genealogy-driven quantitative studies in journals and academic presses
within other fields, but few of our genealogical colleagues are aware of
them.

The key at least in the short term is encouraging genealogists to look
beyond their traditional informational sources in order to find the answers
they seek. Often these multi-disciplinary studies are published in
scholarly journals (that aren't always available on the main stacks at the
local public library) or as Master's and Ph.D. theses. How many
genealogists use or even think of consulting a recently published theses
database as a source for interpretative information? I'm guessing probably
not many despite that they may be presently surprised at the answers or
information that they may find.

The other key issue to this statement that Elizabeth raises is phrase "who
*have* been trained to do quantitative research". Training is the key
element to this phrase. It takes much training and education in order to be
able to do quantitative research that provides theoretical and interpretive
foundations. This ability and knowledge to conduct interpretative analysis
goes far beyond the interests or abilities of most 'hobbyist' genealogists.
It requires specific understanding, education, and training.

Allison L. Ryall


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