New European Historical Writing: Formation of a Research Paradigm

Abstract

The study of Western European historical writing as a separate research area of historical science — social source studies — is calculated over several decades (essentially, since the beginning of the 21st century). Although, the methodological tools for developing a research paradigm in this direction began to take shape as early as the 70s—80s of the 20th century. This is largely due to the fact that, in the perception of the Russian historical community, the history of historical thought for quite a long time occupied a far from leading position in comparison with political, socio-economic history or the history of culture. This is quite understandable by the subject of her research, which, of course, is not basic in the structure of society, but, nevertheless, has a significant impact on its development, since one way or another, the attitude of the individual, society to the past determines the picture of world perception. Most of the categories that are used in the study of the history of historical knowledge (historical consciousness, time, development, etc.) are interdisciplinary in nature. Perhaps that is why the study of the history of historical consciousness in historiography was more often the occupation of philosophers who reflected on its problems, and not of historians themselves, who drew their conclusions on the basis of historical sources. Nevertheless, summarizing the historiographical situation in the study of this area of history, we can say that in the Western and Russian research traditions this topic arose quite early, is constantly in demand and is considered in various aspects. Turning to this topic, we will trace the history of the formation of scientific tools for studying texts as a social phenomenon on the example of the work of both domestic and foreign researchers.