categorisation and methodologies - eurocentric

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  • to what extent do the categories and methodologies associated with modern historical practice reflect a western bias
    • (1) Ranke and a focus on evidence and archives - scientific - seminars as labs - specimen under microscope
      • Saidiya Hartman
      • bury - science
      • reliance on facts = reflecting biases and voices from archives - powerful - McNeill pg11
        • colonial history - GB state in India controlled archives etc
    • (2) however reflects 19th century when professionalisation of hsitory
      • a change in historical practice - Saidiya Hartman and critical fabulation
        • embracing the fiticious - "to save the girl ... from oblivion" - the dead book, lose your mother
          • an attempt to fill in the gaps from the archives demonstrates a change - Isaiah Berlin pg7
      • this demonstrates that while previously a rejection of the untrue/ methods seen as critical fabulation means actively working against historical practice reflecting a western bias
      • Luise White - embracing  rumours and the untrue
    • (3) scientific approach to history previously perpetuated western bias but now interdisciplinary and scientific methods to broaden reach of historical practice
      • Africanisation of history and historical practice - a way of learning about cultures with less documents
        • technology and science = examining teeth - disease, diet, lifestyle
          • McNeill - aDNA and LiDAR
            • particularly used in S America - McNeill describes it as "revolutionizing" - McNeill pg8
          • shows an increasing recognition from academic historians that diff methods needed to overcome western bias
    • (4) while methods not yet categories
      • historical periodisation and categorisation - reflects western bias
        • European categories of places and periods = eurocentric
          • primitive, barbaric
            • further evidenced bcos seen as justification for colonialism - white settlers and civilising mission

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