The Historian's Craft and Economics

Authors

Bradley A. Hansen, University of Mary WashingtonFollow
Mary Eschelbach Hansen

Document Type

Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1017/S1744137415000363

Journal Title

Journal of Institutional Economics

Publication Date

2016

Abstract

History refers both to the past and to the systematic study of the past. Attempts to make a case for history in economics generally emphasize the first definition. There are benefits from increased attention to the past. This paper argues that significant benefits can be gained from increased attention to the systematic study of the past, the historian's craft. The essence of the historian's craft is the critical evaluation of sources. Failure to critically evaluate sources has the potential to lead to erroneous conclusions, whether one is using historical documents or more recently created data.

Comments

This article is openly available on the web through Cambridge University Press.

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Millennium Economics Ltd 2015

Recommended Citation

Hansen, Bradley A., and Mary Eschelbach Hansen. 2016. “The Historian’s Craft and Economics.” Journal of Institutional Economics 12 (2): 349–70. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744137415000363.