Something about the Weather: Using Digital Methods to Mine Geographical Conceptions of Europe in Twentieth-Century Dutch Newspapers

Abstract

How was Europe portrayed as a geographical entity in the texts of weather reports published in Dutch newspapers between 1950 and 1990? To answer this ostensibly simple question, this article uses digital methods, including text mining and visualisation techniques. It shows that digital historical research offers a way of objectifying long-term, stable subjectivities. The Dutch perception of Europe that emerges from this qualitative analysis is remarkably slanted towards distinctions between a first, second and third-degree Europe, findings that may help explain the tenacious resistance to Europe as an inclusive political project.