Social networks as a search tool for historical sources

¹ Sevastopol Branch of Moscow State University, Department of History, Sevastopol, Russia
² Moscow State University, Faculty of History, Department of Source Studies of Russian and Soviet History, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: sevastopol.anna@gmail.com

Abstract

This article is devoted to the use of social networks as a search tool for historical sources. The opportunity is analyzed to use social networks for surveying witnesses and participants in the considered events of regional history of the second half of the 20th century. This article also analyzes advantages of addressing social networks in the students’ projects to improve the oral history methods and development of professional skills of data search and processing. The importance of such joint activity of historians of various generations for patriotic upbringing is emphasized, the relevance of addressing online sources under the pandemic conditions is determined. The use of social networks as a means to replenish gaps in the set of sources is exemplified by the project devoted to social and economic history of Sevastopol. It is summarized that the most informative was the communication with Odnoklassniki network, since it is the leading platform in the Russian segment of Internet regarding the age group of concern: 46+. The methods of operation with social networks are not confined only by the oral history. A researcher is capable to study materials of profile groups and to detect unique photos. It has been concluded that it would be reasonable to perform historical research in social networks by interviewing respondents: bearers of historical memory.