2003/03/01 by S. G. Magnusson · 111 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Philosophy, History, and Historiography #Biographical and Historical Analysis #Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice #Microhistory #Postmodernism #State (computer science) #Sociology #History #Literature #Art #Computer science #Economic history
paper · doi:10.1353/jsh.2003.0054
published in Journal of Social History 36(3), 701-735 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2003/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/14
This article established its theoretical framework by criticizing way in which social historians have practiced their scholarship in last two decades and how and why they have not respondent to challenges of the cultural turn and postmodernism. The main focus of this essay is on rise in interest in microhistory across globe in last decade and on topics of recent microhistorical research. The essay pays particular attention to one element common to theoretical orientations of all microhistorians, viz. connections between micro and macro. Microhistorians of all persuasions emphasize importance of placing small units of research within larger contexts. In this article, author seeks to refute this principle and show its inherent contradictoriness. The article explores implications of this move for epistemological grounding of microhistory. The author encourages historians to cut umbilical cord that ties them to grand historical narratives, but he is aware that this is not an easy task, as grand narratives inform conventional codes of scientific research. As an alternative to accepting guidance of grand narratives, author advances an approach that he proposes to call singularization of history. Taking this approach involves scrutinizing details and nuances of events and objects of research and looking for meaning within them, rather than in larger contexts. The article severely critiques conventional theoretical framework of microhistorical research and attempts to redefine aims and parameters of microhistory in order for it to achieve its full potential. The singularization of history shows way.