Contemporary Historiography

Abstract

s study explores the development of contemporary historiography by examining the major methodological and epistemological transformations that have shaped modern historical thought, with particular emphasis on the contributions of the German historical school, especially Wilhelm Dilthey, and the French Annales School. It demonstrates how historical writing evolved from the mere narration of events and documentation of facts into a scientific practice grounded in interpretation, understanding, and critical analysis. The study further highlights the expansion of historical inquiry to include social, economic, cultural, and collective mental structures. It also discusses the influence of methodologies derived from the human and social sciences, including sociology, psychology, and anthropology, in renewing both the subject matter and methods of historical research. The paper concludes that contemporary historiography has moved beyond the limits of traditional positivism to become an interdisciplinary scholarly discourse that seeks to interpret historical phenomena within their complex contexts while preserving the distinctive nature and epistemological autonomy of historical knowledge.