Bronnenstudie

Bronnenstudie, in Dutch scholarly usage, refers to the study of sources used in research to understand past or present phenomena. It focuses on how sources are produced, transmitted, circulated, and consumed, as well as their reliability and bias. The approach is interdisciplinary, used in history, archaeology, literature, theology, and cultural studies, and includes examination of textual, material, or audiovisual sources.

Key aspects include provenance, dating, authorship, genre, purpose and audience, and social and institutional context. Methodologically, het employs textual criticism, palaeography, and codicology for manuscripts, as well as material culture analysis for artifacts. It emphasizes the source’s materiality, transmission chains, and reception, and it involves cross-checking with other sources and acknowledging lacunae and biases.

In practice, bronnenstudie informs interpretation and aids in reconstructing events, practices, or beliefs while situating them within networks of knowledge production. It highlights limitations and uncertainties and contributes to historiography and scholarship more broadly. It is related to but distinct from bronnenkritiek (source criticism) and bronnenleer, and is often used together with critical evaluation of sources to build credible narratives.