International Relations in The Archive

Abstract

This chapter considers the ways in which the growing field of Historical International Relations (IR) scholarship has been approaching historical source material, primary as well as secondary, and suggests some useful lessons from the methodological debates in disciplinary history. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the ways in which recent IR scholarship has approached the use of history in general and the use of historical sources more specifically. It then delves into a deeper discussion of the two main types of historical sources – secondary sources, or historiography, and primary sources, especially archival ones – showing the limitations, challenges, and benefits associated with the use of these materials. This section is followed by a conclusion that outlines some of the possible trends in the field and potential challenges associated with conducting this type of historical research in IR.