Approaches to textual sources in cultural history

Abstract

ABSTRACT How do we approach textual sources within cultural history? Do we ‘think’ about sources and ‘work’ with them in similar ways? Is it possible to identify a specific methodology among cultural historians? Cultural history is both a subfield and a discipline in its own right. In this domain, scholars often equate methodology with the application of theories to a text. However, it is crucial to explore the gap between reading a textual source and applying theories to understand and interpret it. This need to address methodology in a didactic manner motivates this special issue. Rather than taking our interpretive methods for granted, the authors in this special issue advocate for a self-reflective consciousness, explaining what we do and why. Through investigations and discussions on how we define and categorize textual sources within cultural history, the reading strategies we apply when approaching texts, and the interpretive strategies we may employ, the articles in this issue illustrate the relationship between application and result: how our methodology impacts our findings.