historiesrather

HistoriesRather is a term used in some circles of humanities scholarship to describe a methodological stance that foregrounds multiple, often marginalized, histories in preference to a single, dominant narrative. The term signals a shift from viewing history as a linear, universal account to treating history as a field of competing narratives shaped by culture, power, and perspective.

Etymology and origins: The neologism blends “history” with “rather,” conveying an emphasis on choosing or prioritizing alternative histories. It emerged in online scholarly discussions and small-scale publications in the late 2010s and early 2020s, without a standardized definition.

Concept: HistoriesRather encourages the inclusion of underrepresented voices, such as indigenous, enslaved, and disenfranchised communities, and the use of diverse sources—archival documents, oral testimonies, material culture, digital traces—to reconstruct pasts. Practitioners aim for multiperspectivity, contextualization of sources, and critical reflection on how historiography itself constructs meaning.

Applications: In teaching, HistoriesRather informs curricula that examine how national myths were formed and how marginalized groups contributed to history. In museums and archives, it guides exhibit design and cataloging toward plural narratives and community archives. In digital humanities, it motivates collaborative projects that collocate diverse data sets and visualization methods to make histories more participatory.

Critique: Critics warn that broad inclusion raises methodological complexity and may challenge coherent storytelling. Others note the risk of relativism or overstretching sources beyond evidentiary limits. Proponents argue that careful sourcing and transparent criteria can mitigate these issues.

See also: historiography, counter-history, multiperspectivity, oral history.