Research methods for History HIS-SM>methist

The course “Methodology of History” aims to familiarize students with the key theoretical and methodological problems of historical research. The program focuses on the analysis of research models used in historiography, fundamental concepts and tools of the historian’s craft, and the role of extra-source knowledge in interpreting the past. Particular attention is given to the status of historiography as an academic discipline, as well as to the evolution of its subject matter and the social functions of historians from antiquity to contemporary historiography.
The course is interdisciplinary in nature and offers a reflection on modern approaches to thinking about history, taking into account major developments in contemporary humanities. It addresses, among others, narrativist philosophy of history, the ethical turn, and the audiovisual turn, all of which reshape the ways in which the past is represented and understood. An important component of the course is also an introduction to digital humanities, including the use of computational tools in historical research (such as data analysis, digitization of sources, database construction, and visualization of historical knowledge), as well as a critical reflection on the role of artificial intelligence in the historian’s work (e.g., natural language processing, assisted source analysis, and the epistemological implications of algorithmic mediation).
A significant part of the course is devoted to the Polish school of historical methodology, with particular emphasis on the work of Jerzy Topolski, as well as to the French historiographical tradition represented by François Hartog and Pierre Nora.
The course aims to develop students’ critical understanding of history as an academic discipline, enhance their ability to analyze diverse methodological approaches, and prepare them for independent reflection on the study and interpretation of the past—both within classical frameworks and through the use of contemporary digital and AI-based tools.

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