The disciplined historian: scholarly persona, epistemic virtue and the politics of historiography

• Grant number: 14/24913-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): August 15, 2015
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - Theory and Philosophy of History
• Principal Investigator: Hélio Rebello Cardoso Júnior
• Grantee: João Rodolfo Munhoz Ohara
• Supervisor: Herman J. Paul
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/16289-0 - Constitution and configuration of epistemic virtues in Brazilian historiography (1980-1990), BP.DR

Abstract

Since scholars of the theory and history of historiography have spent a considerable amount of time and effort in studying the functioning of historical texts, one can wonder why the practice of historians (professionals or amateurs) has been so neglected. Following Herman Paul's proposal of the study of epistemic virtues and scholarly personas of historians, this project aims at clarifying some theoretical references in such task. Far from advocating a single possible and legitimate path, what is at stake is a particular perspective for an approach to the study of the practices of historians. Drawing on Michel Foucault's ideas of disciplinary power and care of the self, this study seeks both in primary sources and texts from other scholars some points of reference to think theoretically about the constitution and dynamics of epistemic virtues and the scholarly persona with regard to the specific field of professional historiography. In this sense, both letters, prefaces and reviews written by 19th and 20th century historians and recent studies undertaken by such scholars as Lorraine Daston and others may enlighten us regarding the power relations established in order to make possible and functional a professional field and its rules, hierarchies, and common language. (AU)