‘What does the joy of research *do*?’ Some attempts to think about historical detective work, feelings, and an anonymised case of murder, magic, and madness. 🗃️ williamgpooley.wordpress.com/2024/09/05/v...
In 1840, the alienist Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol published De la Monomanie homicide, a short text defending the importance of the monomania diagnosis to criminal justice. Monomania, in Esquirol's...
Looking forward to reading the Sarah Fox article too.
I knew you was a fellow Geneanet user. Their data are so wonderful.
Hey you said this one would be happy! I love that Michel de Certeau quote. It's good to enjoy research, and makes it easier too right? So joy motivates, sustains?
I really like this post, thank you. And tangentially, reminded me to go and reread Heather Love's "Close, but not deep" essay.
Seems to some parallels with James Tilly Matthews & the Air Loom Gang - interesting also how science & technology mediate personal understanding of schizophrenic (?) experiences, e.g. as magnetism/mesmerism in early 19th century vs. as, e.g., radio transmissions in 20th C.
Ah, the joy of reading about the joy of doing research! I hugely enjoy what I do, sure, and I know it will be critically useful. But still, when I'm frantically transcribing and researching and oblivious to what day it is, I often wonder whether I'd be more use to society doing something else. 😏
Love this post, Will. Thank you!
"Ask my partner how interesting the quirky research stories they get from me on the regular are."
Alt: Alf in a santa hat saying he can relate
The unit I work in is the reference point for our vast archives, and I see that joy all the time in the reading room. Sometimes it's little old ladies finding a small piece of a genealogical puzzle, sometimes historians doing laborious research finding some new insight... or just something "cool."
'The truth is that Gerle, the location of his crime, all of his biographical details will become just a few data points in a spreadsheet.' The point about joy is important, but also rabbit holes, dead ends and wild goose chases can be important too even if they don't end up being 'used' directly...