Enunciating the Core principles of Twenty-first Century Historiography: Some additional extrapolations and inferences from our studies and observations on Historiography

This paper extends the concepts delineated in our earlier paper ‘Historiography by Objectives: A new approach for the study of history within the framework of the proposed Twenty-first Century school of Historiography’ and uses them to enunciate the core principles which we believe will form a part of the proposed Twenty-first century school of Historiography. This paper therefore strives to provide the vehicular platform upon which the objectives set forth in the aforesaid paper should be ideally nurtured and furthered. This paper additionally strives to buttress and substantiate our proposals with further arguments. The Twenty-first century school of historiography, it must be stated at the very outset, does not stem from any kind of a rebellious, a contrarian or a recalcitrant approach but intends to ensure that the field is suitably modernized keeping in mind the requirements of the Twenty-first century without jettisoning appreciable or profitable aspects of existing approaches. This paper attempts, at the same time to steer clear of the perils and pitfalls of postmodernism and intellectual nerdism and forge a new trajectory altogether. This approach also seeks to be as commodious and all-encompassing as possible by proactively embracing as many existing approaches as possible except dour and anachronistic ones, and others that have outlived their utility. It also seeks to formulate dialectical approaches in all facets and endeavours. We also argue that this is not only because all existing approaches are inadequate to cater to the rapidly changing requirements of the Twenty-First Century but also because we are already at the thin end of the wedge and existing approaches are inevitably fraught with unsavoury consequences, and will throw up counter-reactions in the longer term. As noted in our earlier papers, dialectical approaches and approaches based on critical analysis and scientific method would be the key to grappling with the sobering realities and the changed requirements of the Twenty-first century and would be the keystone to further progress across varied disciplines. This paper also emphasizes the proactive aspect of historiography, as this is at the core of all efforts to make it a meaningful and a modern discipline. This paper also delineates the social duties and functions of a historian and reinforces his role and duties in ushering in rapid social and cultural change and expediting scientific progress across disciplines. ‘Historiography by Objectives’ and other attendant approaches, first mooted in the aforesaid paper, continue, of course, to be an inalienable part of the overall proposals of this paper.