#historical method

It’s not as refined or as compartmentalized as Niklas Luhmann’s process, but art historian Victor Margolin broadly outlines his note taking and writing process in reasonable detail in this excellent three minute video. (This may be one of the shortest and best produced encapsulations of these reading/note taking/writing methods I’ve ever seen.)

Though he indicates it was a “process [he] developed”, it is broadly similar to that of the influential “historical method” laid out by Ernst Bernheim and later Seignobos/Langlois in the late 1800s.

Victor Margolin’s note taking and writing process

Collecting materials and bibliographies in files based on categories (for chapters)

Reads material, excerpts/note making on 5 x 7″ note cards

Generally with a title (based on visual in video)

excerpts have page number references (much like literature notes, the refinement linking and outlining happens separately later in his mapping and writing processes)

filed in a box with tabbed index cards by chapter number with name

video indicates that he does write on both sides of cards breaking the usual rule to write only on one side

Uses large pad of newsprint (roughly 18″ x 24″ based on visualization) to map out each chapter in visual form using his cards in a non-linear way. Out of the diagrams and clusters he creates a linear narrative form.

 Tapes diagrams to wall

 Writes in text editor on computer as he references the index cards and the visual map.

I’ve developed a way of working to make this huge project of a world history of design manageable. —Victor Margolin

Notice here that Victor Margolin doesn’t indicate that it was a process that he was taught, but rather “I’ve developed”. Of course he was likely taught or influenced on the method, particularly as a historian, and that what he really means to communicate is that this is how he’s evolved that process.

I begin with a large amount of information. —Victor Margolin

Dry farming, a method that’s been used for centuries to grow grapes, almonds, and olives in Mediterranean countries, requires soils with enough structure to hold moisture from seasonal rains for months at a time—in California, these rains happen between October and April. One method is to plant young vines that are grafted to vigorous rootstocks relatively far apart and water them for only their first two years in the ground. The point is to encourage their roots to dig deep into the dirt from which they’ll pull stored rainwater starting in year three.

“In dry farming, you’re putting resistance into the system,” says Stephen Gliessman, an emeritus agroecologist at the University of Santa Cruz who also co-owns the dry-farmed vineyard Condor’s Hope in the Cuyama Valley of northern Santa Barbara County.

Though plenty of wine grape growers in the state practice dry farming, the method represents a drop in the bucket of a $70 billion business. Tightly spaced, high-yield, drip-irrigated vineyards are much in favor; their practices encourage roots to hang out near the surface of the soil, where they expect to find water—and they can’t survive without a frequent fix.

I think we could all agree that if you had never been exposed to mathematics in your life, you'd be setting yourself up for failure if you began your education by jumping straight into differential equations and Fourier analysis without first developing a broad foundation in basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus etc.. We generally accept that there are prerequisite skills that we need to develop before trying to tackle more complex and advanced problems. Could you do it?  With enough motivation, raw intelligence, and a lot of time spent back-tracking, you might be able to work your way through a problem here and there and even arrive at a correct answer every so often, but your overall understanding of the material, your ability to perform consistently and to apply those skills broadly would be severely compromised. Yet we as a community of enthusiasts and hobbiests don't think twice about trying to start with the more 'advanced problems' as we embark on our journey learning about arms, armor, and other aspects of historical material culture.

History is and is not what it seems. For the writers of history have no way to recuse themselves.

Announcing a big win for Naram-sin, Mesopotamian king circa 23rd Century BCE I’m a Skeptic Human history began as the self-drafted resume of a particularly successful band of survival-machines.  Although it is now much more than that, it will never entirely outgrow its origins. Defendants always represent themselves before the court of human history. Ever and again But Not a…

Doing History: Christopher Clarke on “How” over “Why”

The most fundamental debate about the study and practice of history is whether to ask “why?” or “how?” Among my colleagues who adopt a more radical methodology, the question “why?” always seems uppermost in their minds. Why are things this way? Why did this happen? Why is there [fill in the blank here] in today’s society? Why did [X war or Y atrocity] happen? 

There is value to these…