Recent Changes in Humanistic Research Practices: An Analysis of Danish PhD Dissertations 1992-2012

The present paper analyzes changes in research practices in the humanities around the turn of the millennium. The analysis is based on a reading of all humanistic PhD dissertations in Denmark between 1992 and 2012 (N=1,958). For every dissertation we recorded not only language, format, co-authors and supervisors but also the theoretical sources, data types and analytical methods/techniques used. We show that, while the share of article-based dissertations (as opposed to monographs) is relatively stable, the share of English dissertations grows from around 18 percent in the beginning of the period to around 48 percent at the end of the period. English language is especially common among the article-based dissertations (71 percent for the entire period). We also identify a growing convergence with the social sciences, which is reflected in an increased use of more “social scientific” data types and analytical methods/techniques such as qualitative interviews, participant observation, categorized coding and statistical analysis. With respect to theoretical sources, many humanistic PhD dissertations also converge with the social sciences. We discuss these findings in the light of the situation in the national and transnational scientific fields and in the light of Danish and European research policy around the turn of the millennium. The paper contributes to the history of the humanities by offering a detailed analysis of changes in research practices across all humanistic disciplines. It also contributes by its focus on more marginal or, at least, non-canonical works.