Extending the Intermediate Data Structure (IDS) for longitudinal historical databases to include geographic data

Finn Hedefalk,Patrick Svensson,Lars Harrie

doi:10.51964/hlcs9289

Abstract

   The Intermediate Data Structure (IDS) is a standardised database structure for longitudinal historical databases. Such a common structure facilitates data sharing and comparative research. In this study, we propose an extended version of IDS, named IDS-Geo, that also includes geographic data. The geographic data that will be stored in IDS-Geo are primarily buildings and/or property units, and the purpose of these geographic data is mainly to link individuals to places in space. When we want to assign such detailed spatial locations to individuals (in times before there were any detailed house addresses available), we often have to create tailored geographic datasets. In those cases, there are benefits of storing geographic data in the same structure as the demographic data. Moreover, we propose the export of data from IDS-Geo using an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Schema. IDS-Geo is implemented in a case study using historical property units, for the period 1804 to 1913, stored in a geographically extended version of the Scanian Economic Demographic Database (SEDD). To fit into the IDS-Geo data structure, we included an object lifeline representation of all of the property units (based on the snapshot time representation of single historical maps and poll-tax registers). The case study verifies that the IDS-Geo model is capable of handling geographic data that can be linked to demographic data.  

Highlights

Several projects and countries are creating demographic databases with an Intermediate Data Structure (IDS) as part of the European Historical Population Samples Network (EHPS-Net) (Alter & Mandemakers 2014)
Because the aim of the IDS structure is primarily to facilitate the exchange of historical demographic data, the main requirement for introducing geographic data in IDS-Geo is that database administrators can link individuals to spatial locations
Having external links to geographic databases have the benefits of simplicity; no geographic data need to be stored within IDS

Summary

Introduction

Several projects and countries are creating demographic databases with an Intermediate Data Structure (IDS) as part of the European Historical Population Samples Network (EHPS-Net) (Alter & Mandemakers 2014). EHPS-Net aims to convert, at minimum, 15 longitudinal historical databases into a common database schema. This IDS schema includes individuals and contexts (e.g., geographic places), as well as the relationships between them. Researchers as well as the public will have access to data in a standardised structure explained by metadata. This will facilitate international data sharing and comparative research

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion