DOI: 10.7256/2306-4595.2014.4.13158

Abstract: The technological revolution has led to a "shift" of many activities including research to the Internet. The transition to a new economic model requires constant governments’ attention to the development of the digital environment which is favorable to the production of scientific knowledge. Advances in this area contribute to gain a competitive advantage on the global market. The European Union countries for several decades intensively have been implementing large-scale projects on the development of digital research infrastructure in different fields including the field of humanities. The analysis of this activity allows to define the strategy and tactics used to control the “digital science sector” abroad and identify patterns suitable for the Russian Federation. The methodological base includes the system, comparative, formal and logical, comparative legal and other scientific methods. The comparative analysis of the experience of foreign countries has permitted to reveal current trends in the development of digital research infrastructure in general and, in particular, in human studies. The study gives the evaluation of the role of digital research infrastructures in the modern "Internet economy" and presents a more precise periodization of the development of digital infrastructure for Humanities Research. The refined periodization takes into consideration the influence of external and internal factors that determine the content of the changes in this area. It is concluded that there is a strong need to improve the state strategy towards development of science in the modern "hyper-linked world."