Workshop Replication in the Humanities: Reflections on Two Case Studies

In the wake of the so-called “replication crisis” in the biomedical, natural and social sciences, researchers have begun to ask: What about replication in the humanities? Might replication studies be a useful way to corroborate findings in the humanities? If so, what would they look like in various fields within the humanities and how would they differ from replication in the biomedical, natural and social sciences? What aims would they strive for in terms of epistemic progress? What can the humanities learn from replication studies in the sciences and vice versa?

At Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, we have set out to explore the strengths and limitations of replication studies in the humanities in practice by replicating two original studies: one in the field of art history, the other in the field of history of science and religion. This work is part of the larger project Epistemic Progress in the University funded by the Templeton World Charity FoundationIn this workshop we will present preliminary findings from both case studies and begin to engage in joint meta-reflections on the experiment (for more information, see our recent blog post on these two replication projects).