Correntes historiográficas - História - Ensino Médio

Summary

Professor Basílio introduces the concept of historiography, highlighting different schools of thought in writing history. He discusses positivism, which emphasizes state documents and official narratives; Marxism, focusing on the working class and everyday life; and the Annales School, which considers a wide range of sources, including everyday objects and cultural practices. The lecture underscores the importance of reflecting on history from diverse perspectives, emphasizing that history is not fixed but shaped by different choices. The speaker invites students to engage with history as a means to understand the present and transform the future.

Takeaways

• 😀 History allows us to understand how the world we live in today was shaped by different processes and events.
• 😀 Historians work with sources (documents, objects, testimonies) to reconstruct the past, as we cannot return to it directly.
• 😀 In the 19th century, the positivist approach to history focused on written sources, particularly official documents from the state.
• 😀 The positivist perspective often presented history as a national, heroic narrative, celebrating political leaders and public figures.
• 😀 The Marxist approach to history, developed in the 20th century, prioritized the lives of ordinary people, focusing on class struggles and economic factors.
• 😀 Marxists used a variety of new sources like statistics and testimonies from workers and peasants to write history from the 'bottom up.'
• 😀 The Annales school, emerging in the 20th century, expanded the definition of historical sources to include everyday objects like utensils, buildings, and even architecture.
• 😀 By analyzing everyday items, historians can explore how different societies lived and what choices they made, offering a broader view of history.
• 😀 History is an active process that involves choices about what to study and what is important, leading to the inevitable loss of some perspectives.
• 😀 The history of women became a significant field in the 1960s and 70s, providing a new perspective on the past by reinterpreting documents written by men.
• 😀 Oral histories and testimonies from people who couldn’t write are essential in understanding history, as they offer valuable insights and different perspectives on past events.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the lecture?

The lecture aims to introduce students to different historiographical approaches and to emphasize the importance of studying history from diverse perspectives. It also encourages students to reflect on the transformative power of history in understanding the present and shaping the future.

What does the professor mean by history 'desnaturalizing' life?

The professor refers to history's ability to challenge the naturalized or taken-for-granted aspects of life, helping people realize that the world we live in today was shaped by various historical events, and it has not always been this way.

How does the positivist approach to history differ from other methodologies?

The positivist approach focuses solely on written, official documents as the legitimate sources of history. This perspective emphasizes a state-centered view and often highlights significant political figures and national achievements, disregarding other aspects of history.

What is the Marxist approach to writing history?

The Marxist approach prioritizes the experiences of common people, particularly the working class, and focuses on economic factors. It aims to depict history from the bottom up, offering insights into the lives of peasants, workers, and everyday individuals rather than political elites.

What is the significance of the Annales School in historiography?

The Annales School introduced a new way of analyzing history by including material culture as a source, such as objects, architecture, and daily life. This approach seeks to offer a broader, analytical view of society and history, considering not only written documents but also tangible artifacts.

How does the professor describe the importance of diverse sources in writing history?

The professor emphasizes that a variety of sources is crucial for writing history accurately. By exploring different kinds of sources, such as oral histories and objects, historians can gain a more complete understanding of the past and present a more inclusive narrative.

What role did women play in the development of historical writing in the 20th century?

In the 1960s and 70s, women began to contribute to the field of history, offering fresh perspectives and new questions. Although they used the same sources as male historians, their approach brought a different sensibility and focus, especially in highlighting previously overlooked historical experiences.

What is the significance of oral histories in history writing?

Oral histories are vital because they provide a perspective from individuals who may not have left written records. These oral accounts offer alternative views of the past, particularly from marginalized or less-documented groups, such as women and working-class individuals.

Why does the professor say that studying history can transform one's present?

Studying history enables individuals to understand the forces that have shaped the present world. This knowledge can empower them to think critically about current issues and take informed action toward transforming the future.

What does the professor mean by the idea that history can help 'desnaturalize' social inequalities?

By studying history, we learn that social inequalities and injustices are not natural but are the result of specific political and social choices. Understanding their historical roots gives us the ability to challenge and potentially eliminate these inequalities.