Historiography

Historiography Definition

Historiography refers to the study of how history is written, encompassing both the actual writing of historical accounts and the methodological reflection upon those accounts. While historically used to distinguish between the factual events of the past (history) and the scholarly discipline concerned with studying those facts (historiography), the terms have largely merged; historiography now primarily denotes the critical examination of the craft and methods involved in constructing historical narratives. It involves investigating the epistemological and methodological questions raised by the construction of historical accounts themselves.

Definitions

As a noun, historiography can be understood in two primary senses: firstly, it signifies the actual writing of history or written history; and secondly, it denotes the history of historical writing, which includes discussions about the methodological issues involved in creating historical narratives. In essence, it is the reflection on the methods used by historians.

Methodological Focus

The study of historiography focuses on the methodological and epistemological questions inherent in historical research. This involves examining the techniques employed by historians and analysing the validity and reliability of historical accounts. This focus parallels methodological discussions found across the social sciences, particularly sociology, where debates over epistemology and methodology are central to empirical research.

Sociological Context

The separation between the practice of ‘doing history’ and historiography was historically maintained by historians to avoid what they perceived as the dangers of epistemological anomie within historical enquiry. This division allowed for methodological discussions to proceed without halting ongoing historical research. However, this distinction raises questions regarding the separation of theory and data; some scholars, such as Bell and Newby, have questioned whether a similar disciplinary division is tenable in sociology, suggesting that theory and empirical data are not entirely separable entities.