Jens Oehlen: Historical data offers new insights into major societal questions

What made you start exploring these topics?

“While each chapter had its own starting point, the process typically looked something like this: first, there was a vague idea or interest in a peculiar context; and second, there somehow existed data on that context. For instance, one of my chapters, ‘Coffeehouses and the Rise of Science,’ arose from a discussion with one of my PhD colleagues, Monir. I was convinced it would not be possible to find data on coffeehouses in the 17th century. Yet, little did I know that I would be proven wrong the very next day, when Monir had indeed found a book detailing the history of coffeehouses in London. Ironically, the chapter itself studies how informal meeting places shape scientific exchange, much like the lunch discussions that preceded our co-authorship.”

Which findings in your dissertation do you consider the most important?

“I believe the first two chapters are the most important. In ‘Enigma,’ I digitize archival records on military intelligence and use modern computational tools to quantify its importance during World War II. In my second chapter, we study the role of a new social institution – the coffeehouses of London – and their importance during the Scientific Revolution. Both topics have received wide scholarly attention in the social sciences, but these chapters provide the first rigorous quantitative analyses of these arguably important historical episodes.”

What practical implications could your results have – for policymakers, or the public?

“The third chapter, ‘Leveling the Playing Field: Knowledge Production in the Digital Age,’ provides the most tangible policy implications. The paper studies the impact of paywalls to scientific articles on the wider scientific ecosystem and finds negative, restrictive effects on the spread of scientific knowledge. It thereby lends credence to recent policy changes by science funders mandating open access.”