Historiográfica

Historiográfica, or historiography in English, refers to the study of how history is written. It encompasses the methods, sources, arguments, and underlying assumptions through which historical knowledge is constructed, evaluated, and transmitted. The term is used in Portuguese, Spanish, and related languages to describe both the discipline of history and the critical tradition that analyzes how historical narratives are produced.

Historiography investigates sources and evidence—textual, archival, material, and oral—alongside the contexts, purposes, and biases that shape interpretation. It engages with questions of objectivity and relativity, the role of memory and ideology, and the ways definitions of events and periods change over time. Methodologically, historiography includes source criticism, contextualization, comparative analysis, and the application of theories from literature, philosophy, and social sciences.

Historical writing has been shaped by various currents. In ancient and medieval periods, chronicles and annals recorded events; the modern period saw debates over empirical rigor and documentation, exemplified by positivist approaches. The 20th century introduced schools such as the Annales for long-term structures, and later postmodern, feminist, and postcolonial historiographies that foreground language, power, and marginalized perspectives. Contemporary historiography often combines rigorous source analysis with theoretical reflection to reveal how and why histories are constructed.

Overall, historiographical study helps readers understand not only what happened, but how understandings of what happened have been created, challenged, and revised over time.