Historical Research Methodology Research Articles

Current Problems of Historical Theory

The purpose of this round table is to enable the specialists gathered here to discuss freely their opinions on current problems in the theory and methodology of historical research. This is not our first attempt along these lines (the last was held on 29 October 1991; see Voprosy istorii, 1992, nos. 8-9). However, time in its onward rush is drawing historiography, too, into its vortex: traditional conceptions and assessments are dying, methodological paradigms that only recently seemed unshakable have fallen apart, and theories of the historical process that used to be rejected as unsound now appear in a new light. One feels an urgent need to return periodically to the discussion and interpretation of many theoretical-methodological problems that only yesterday were considered completely resolved.

Notes onlesbian

An attempt to construct a lesbian history, whether it be sociological or art historical, involves con-. fronting silence, erasure, misrepresentation, and prejudice—all of which present formidable obstacles to historical research and writing. How is it possible to reconstruct a story from evidence that is partial, absent, hidden, denied, obfuscated, trivialized, and otherwise suppressed? The traditional methodology of historical research, and by extension the value system used to evaluate the quality of texts written in the name of history, is necessarily overdetermined by a prioritization of primary sources. But what if these primary sources do not exist because governments have not counted or otherwise documented the historical subject(s); or because the social and political persecution of said subject(s) has encouraged them to silence themselves; or because prejudice has enabled families and biographers to destroy documents such as letters and diaries that contain the crucial content that might constitute testimony or evidence? Some lesbian historians understandably believe that more information about lesbians in the past exists than we now know of or have access to and that, therefore, more primary sources and more traditional history is forthcoming. But it might also just as easily be assumed that the availability of written proof of lesbians and lesbianism is significantly less present and existent than lesbians and lesbianism in nineteenth- and twentieth-century European and American history have in fact been.

Notes on Lesbian

An attempt to construct a lesbian history, whether it be sociological or art historical, involves con-. fronting silence, erasure, misrepresentation, and prejudice—all of which present formidable obstacles to historical research and writing. How is it possible to reconstruct a story from evidence that is partial, absent, hidden, denied, obfuscated, trivialized, and otherwise suppressed? The traditional methodology of historical research, and by extension the value system used to evaluate the quality of texts written in the name of history, is necessarily overdetermined by a prioritization of primary sources. But what if these primary sources do not exist because governments have not counted or otherwise documented the historical subject(s); or because the social and political persecution of said subject(s) has encouraged them to silence themselves; or because prejudice has enabled families and biographers to destroy documents such as letters and diaries that contain the crucial content that might constitu...

Special Issue on Women's History

AS READERS OFTHE CHR survey the offerings of the past few years, many might observe alterations in the publication that reflect the changing ature of Canadian history. Where once these pages documented the 'establishment's' preoccupation with political and military affairs, the journal now acknowledges the growth of new areas of historical research and new approaches and methodologies. This special issue on women's history reflects some of the recent developments in hist0riography t at stem from a revisionist view of our past and necessitate th exploration of gender, class, race, and ethnicity. Women's history inCanada and elsewhere has experienced a significant growth since the • 97os, when journal articles and occasional collections began to appear. By the early •98os the field had produced a number of important monographs and the first synthetic textbook, L'Histoire des proroes au Quabec depuis quatre siacles (•982); by the end of the decade, L'Histoire d s femmes was joined by Canadian Women: A History, as well as an increasing volume of monographic studies. • Thus, it is appropriate in the early • 99os for the CHR tO devote a special issue to this rapidly developing and sometimes controversial field. The articles included in this issue provide a taste of current research in women's history. Established historians in the field, Veronica Strong-Boag nd Gail Cuthbert Brandt, are joined by younger colleagues Franca Iacovetta, Karen Dubinsky, and Shirley Tillotson. The

The Diagnosis of St. Francis: Evidence for Leprosy

THE DIAGNOSIS OF ST. FRANCIS: EVIDENCE FOR LEPROSY Any venture into understanding the medical conditions of St. Francis of Assisi must be undertaken cautiously. The sources of information available to modern investigators cannot provide the degree of precision we have come to expect in the age of the CATscanner . Recent progress in the methodology of medical historical research now permits, however, a comprehensive and rigorous study of the subject founded upon firm knowledge of both the sources for the life of St. Francis and medical science. The present study pursues four avenues of research in approaching a medical diagnosis for St. Francis. The first is a comparison between the descriptions of St. Francis' medical signs and symptoms in the early biographies and our modern understanding of the natural history of diseases. The second method is an attempt to understand the medical terms used by the early biographers as they were understood by medieval medical practitioners (i.e., a medicalhistorical approach). The third method is "paleo-epidemiological" and consists of an application of our understanding of the prevalence and distribution of diseases in the medieval Mediterranean world to what is known of St. Francis' illnesses. The fourth method is "paleo-pathological" and draws conclusions from an examination of available data regarding the remains of St. Francis. Finally, we discuss the differential diagnosis and some of the implications of our conclusion. We propose that it is possible, if not probable, that St. Francis suffered from clinically significant leprosy of the borderline or tuberculoid form and died of complications related to this underlying illness. l82JOANNE SCHATZLEIN and DANIEL P. SULMASY I. A MEDICAL HISTORY OF ST. FRANCIS BASED UPON A CLOSE READING OF THE EARLY BIOGRAPHIES.1 In any attempt to interpret the medical signs and symptoms of St. Francis' it is imperative that we understand the terms used in the early biographies as the authors themselves understood them. In order to do this we must first delineate precisely what the early biographers have actually written about the health of St. Francis. This will allow us to construct a medical case history. Neither the medical-historical literature nor the Franciscan literature has yet produced a satisfactory case history for St. Francis. Previous studies have habitually been imprecise in their interpretation of the medical significance of the biographies. Lambertini for example, mentions multiple episodes of fever during St. Francis' ill-fated youthful military ventures.2 The sources make no mention of fever at this time in the life of Francis. Ciancarelli, repeating Lambertini's unsubstantiated inference regarding fever,3 also suggests that Francis contracted tuberculosis from his mother, Lady Pica, who "came from France" (a country Ciancarelli describes as "civilized" and therefore a place where "tuberculosis was common").4 Schmucki has roundly criticized this argument.5 Not only is French birth insufficient evidence for making a diagnosis of tuberculosis, but the French origin of Lady Pica, never made explicit in the sources, is itself only an hypothesis. Moorman has laced his account of the life of St. Francis with symptoms related to tuberculosis which are grossly extrapolated from the actual accounts in the early biographies.6 Another author, 1 The following abbreviations will be used for references to the literary sources of Francis' life: iC, Thomas of Celano, Vita prima; 2C, idem. Vita secunda; 3C, idem, Tractatus de miraculis; 3S, Legenda trium sociorum; LM, St. Bonaventure , Legenda major; Lm, idem, Legenda minor; LP, Legenda of Perugia; SP, Speculum perfectionis. English translations of these works are found in Marion Habig (ed). St. Francis of Assisi: Writings and Early Biographies (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1983). 2 Gastone Lambertini, "Le malattie e le stimmate di S. Francesco," Studi Francescani 7 (1974): 110. 8 Santé Ciancarelli, "Le malattie di Francesco di Assisi," Analecta Tertii Ordinis Regularis 14 (1978): 274-75. * Ciancarelli, 273. 5 Ottaviano Schmucki, "Opera circa S. Francisci vitam," Collectanea Francescana 43 (1973): 4°5-°7· 8 Lewis J. Moorman, "TB and Genius as Manifested in St. Francis of Assisi ," Annals of Medical History 9 (2) (n.s. Ill) (1930): 556-59. The Diagnosis of St. Francis183 E. F. Härtung, has dated the "quartan fever" described in LP 39 and SP 61 to the time of...

A Content Analysis of the Journal of Research in Music Education, 1953–1983

The purpose of this study was to review the Journal of Research in Music Education from 1953 (the first issue) through 1983, a 31-year period, with particular attention to editorial policies, content analysis, and organization of research topics. Specifically, frequencies and percentages of articles and pages were determined for (a) articles based on dissertations and theses and (b) articles using historical, philosophical, experimental, descriptive, and behavioral research methodologies. Furthermore, articles within each methodology were categorized by general subject matter topic, by the sample characteristics of age and training, and by specific research technique where applicable. All articles (N = 658) were reviewed.

QUANTITATIVE SOCIAL HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN THE NETHERLANDS; PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE(*)

Quantitative social historical research origi nated in the Netherlands at the Wageningse school. Al ready in de 1950's Slicher van Bath and Associates started to analyse social, economic and cultural changes in an agricultural society from a historical-demographic point of view. Its research method was analogous to the Annales tradition. During the 1970's the scope of quantitative social historical research got broader: first, because of the introduction of a structural methodology of historical research, secondly, because of the accelerating possibili ties of computerization. The description of some actual themes under study and statistical procedures employed leads to the conclusion that quantitative social histori cal research, although being a useful extension of his toriography, does not belong to the core of historical science. This is a serious drawback for the education of history students in this field of research. Next to that, financial resources are limited. Therefore, the futures of quantitative social historical research in the Netherlands is rather restrained.

Access to Restricted Collections: The Responsibility of Professional Historical Organizations

The author raises seven questions being considered by the Organization of American Historians in order to determine whether or not it should reconsider its position on codes of ethics, especially with respect to access to and use of confidential materials. She then mentions pitfalls to avoid in adopting codes of ethics and discusses recent trends in historical research methodology and materials.

Methodology of historical research of reading instruction: Principles and criteria

Abstract In this paper the most common, justifiable grounds for general suspicion of historical studies of reading instruction are briefly examined, and it is observed that certain of the techniques formerly employed in such research and historiography are inadequate and ought to be excluded. The point is made, however, that continued rejection of historical knowledge and research of reading instruction per se, by the academic community becomes increasingly less tenable due to the existence of steadily increasing quantities of high quality primary source documents. Secondly, the question, How can knowledge of past reading instruction enable us to have a better understanding of contemporary practices, and help to resolve current problems, is discussed. Thirdly, the advantages to the researcher of dual training, as historian and as reading educator are described. Finally, specific methodological criteria for engaging in and/or evaluating historical research in reading instruction are identified and briefly ...

The methodology of historical research

The methodology of historical research

James Harvey Robinson and the New School for Social Research

T HE New School for Social Research, established in New York City in 19I9, was an experiment in educational liberalism. It marked a reaction against academic traditions in the curriculums, the system of courses, credits, and degrees, and the organization and administration of institutions of higher learning. The movement which led to the founding of the New School was initiated by James Harvey Robinson. Robinson, born in Bloomington, Illinois, in I863, had graduated from the normal school at Normal, Illinois, and had gone to Harvard, where he obtained his Bachelor's degree in I887 and his Master's degree the following year. In i888 Robinson went to Europe to spend a semester studying German at Strasbourg, where his brother Benjamin was studying botany. After spending one semester at Strasbourg he moved to the University of Freiburg, where he received careful training in the technique and methodology of historical research under Von Holst. After completing his doctorate in history in I890 at Freiburg, Robinson returned to the United States. In I89I he accepted a position as lecturer in history at the University of Pennsylvania and, after serving in this capacity for about two years, was promoted to an associate professorship, a position which he held until his resignation. In I895 Robinson went to Columbia University as professor of European history and remained there until I9I8. A man of restless mind, ever given to the challenge of current ideas and conditions, he took an active part in the revision of history teaching in schools and colleges; he introduced the study of intellectual history at Columbia. He wrote, alone or in collaboration with Charles A. Beard, college and high-school textbooks that were widely adopted and very