Rewiring the Historian’s Craft

How does the act of blogging rewire our frameworks of history, story, and practice? Founded in 2012, The Junto is a "group blog made up of junior early Americanists dedicated to providing content of general interest to other early Americanists and those interested in early American history, as well as a forum for discussion of relevant historical and academic topics." Drawing on my experience as a co-founding contributor to The Junto, I will focus on blogging as an emergent form of experimental history: a way to deepen pedagogical training and archival practices, to network with a diverse set of historians, and to supplement traditional forms of participation in the scholarly community. At The Junto, we strive for a blend of coverage, resources, news, and critical reviews--an editorial goal that mirrors ongoing challenges in the field of academic publishing. Blogging, however, quickly draws the historian ever closer to a wide audience, and it presents dynamic opportunities for dialogue and debate. On a pedagogical note, blogging can serve as a platform to introduce research, road-test digital tools, and gather new lecture material.  Overall, I will reflect on how membership in the blogosphere changes the early Americanist's craft, and where we might travel next in parsing the digital (early) republic.