Document Type : Scientific-Research
Authors
1 Phd of Islamic History, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
In recent years, prominent history professors, such as Hasan Hazrati, Hashem Aghajari, Alireza Molaei-Tavani, and Qobad Mansourbakht, have fueled a significant debate regarding the role of historians. This dialogue serves as a starting point for contemplating and thoroughly examining a critical question: What is the historian's primary mission or disciplinary responsibility? Influenced by Clifford Geertz's concept of "thick description" and contesting the theory-oriented approach, Hasan Hazrati first introduced "deep and extensive description" in historical methodology debates during the early 1990s. This perspective diverges from most Iranian historians' views and posits that the most important task of historians is to provide a comprehensive or deep and extensive account of past human events, focusing on the "what and how" aspects from a methodological standpoint.
The present article critiques this opinion and explores ways to provide a better answer to the question of the most important task of historians.The article's authors believe that even if it is possible to separate the question of "how and why" from the point of view of the research method, the historian's neglect of "why" means lowering the field capacity of history. Testing theory and theorizing are possible and necessary in the field of history, but description is less important or just the previous stage of analysis or interpretation, and central theory cannot be the most important mission of history.
Therefore, the most important task of historians is to provide a clear explanation (explanation) of how and why events happened; without separating or primary and secondary seeing the importance of how or why.
Keywords
Main Subjects
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