The Use of Historical Analogies to Make Sense of Novel Events (423BC - 2012) (ICPSR 34721)
Version Date: Oct 10, 2013 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Robert Axelrod, University of Michigan;
Larissa Forster, University of Michigan
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR34721.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for Summary
The Use of Historical Analogies to Make Sense of Novel Events contains 4 parts: (1) Speeches, (2) Meetings, (3) Newspapers, and (4) Statements. The data consist of Excel data files with multiple spreadsheets, and Word and PDF documentation files which represent the various sources (speeches, articles, books, meetings notes) from which the data were collected. Book sources are not included in this release, but are referenced. Part 1 (Speeches) contains Excel data files and corresponding documentation files by historical speakers, such as Winston Churchill, President Barack Obama, and Thucydides' Brasidas and Nicias. Part 2 (Meetings) contains Excel data files and corresponding documentation files (transcripts) by historical meetings, such as the Watergate affair, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Persian Gulf War, and the Iraq War. Part 3 (Newspapers) contains one Excel data file for each event: the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the terrorist assault on Mumbai, India in November, 2008, and the demonstrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square (starting in January 2011, which aimed to overthrow Egyptian President Mubarak); these Excel files have corresponding folders with documentation files that were compiled from various newspaper/online news article sources. Part 4 (Statements) contains one Excel data file, which corresponds to a book source of Osama bin Laden statements.
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Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
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country
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Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection
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This collection has not been processed by ICPSR and includes the data and documentation files as originally deposited.
Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
The main part of this collection provides quantitative analysis of the use of historical analogies in coverage of three events of global significance: (1) the September 11 attacks of 2001, (2) the terrorist assault on Mumbai, India, in November 2008, and (3) the large demonstrations that started on January 25, 2011 in Cairo's Tahrir Square, aiming to overthrow Egyptian President Mubarak.
Study Design View help for Study Design
Each event (9/11, Mumbai, Tahrir Square) was systematically coded by the historical analogies used in selected newspapers of five countries: (1) United States, (2) Israel, (3) Lebanon, (4) India, and (5) China. In each case, the first seven days after the initial event date of coverage were coded. Relevant articles were selected on the basis of key words. For the three cases, the key words were respectively "World Trade Center," "Mumbai" (for the Times of India both "Mumbai" and "attack"), and "Egypt". All together, there were 477,000 words in the relevant articles. In a second step, coding began at the one-year and ten-year anniversaries of the relevant events. In addition to the newspaper coverage, speeches, meetings, and the statements by Osama Bin Laden (1994-2004) were analyzed. The selected speeches (423BC - 2009) were given by leaders in times of crisis (military or economic) to reassure their audience of ultimate success. The meetings cover a variety of topics, beginning with World War II (1941) up to the 2003 Iraq War.
Sample View help for Sample
Cases were selected for newspaper analysis on the basis that each was an event of global significance with a specific starting date that presented a novel stimulus which evoked efforts to make sense of its meaning. The selected speeches (423BC - 2009) were given by leaders in times of crisis (military or economic) to reassure their audience of ultimate success. The meetings cover a variety of topics beginning with World War II (1941) up to the 2003 Iraq War.
Data Source View help for Data Source
Please refer to the User Guide for information on sources.
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HideOriginal Release Date View help for Original Release Date
2013-08-27
Version History View help for Version History
- Axelrod, Robert, and Larissa Forster. The Use of Historical Analogies to Make Sense of Novel Events (423BC - 2012). ICPSR34721-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2013-10-10. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR34721.v1
2013-10-10 Updated title to correct dates, per P.I. request.
Notes
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