Historical methodology refers to the techniques and principles historians use to analyze historical evidence and construct narratives about the past. Influences on historical methodology are diverse and often derive from various theoretical perspectives, including positivism, historicism, and postmodernism. Positivism emphasizes empirical data and the scientific approach, advocating for a systematic collection and analysis of evidence to derive objective truths about historical events. Historicism, on the other hand, insists on understanding events in their specific contexts and emphasizes the complexity of historical processes. Meanwhile, postmodernist thought challenges the idea of an objective historical narrative by highlighting the subjectivity of historical interpretation and the influence of power dynamics in shaping accounts of the past (Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods, and New Directions in the Teaching and Learning of History. Routledge, 2015).
These theoretical frameworks have shaped methodologies in history by influencing how historians approach their sources, understand causation, and consider the role of narrative. For example, the social history movement shifted focus from political elites to the experiences of ordinary people, prompting historians to employ a range of sources such as oral histories and quantitative data to capture a broader picture of the past (Kocka, Jurgen. History: Current Problems and Future Directions. NBER, 2005). In conclusion, the interplay of different theoretical perspectives continues to inform the evolving methodologies in the study of history, underscoring the discipline’s complexity and richness.
References:
- Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods, and New Directions in the Teaching and Learning of History. Routledge, 2015.
- Kocka, Jürgen. History: Current Problems and Future Directions. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005.