Leonie Hannan

Researching in circles

Introduction

Researching in circles. This essay explores 'critical intimacy,' return, and repetition in historical research, focusing on material culture and 18th-century knowledge-making. It advocates generative circles of enquiry over linear narratives.

Abstract

This essay examines the value of ‘critical intimacy’, return and repetition as perspectives and practices applied in historical research. In particular, it addresses history-writing that uses material culture as primary evidence, or which considers questions of materiality. The discussion begins with examples of eighteenth-century knowledge-making by non-elite individuals and emphasises the early modern home as site of intellectual and creative work. This research was informed by a previous, collaborative project which questioned traditional historical methods. Ultimately, the essay argues that the study of material culture offers historians (and others) an important analytical perspective, one that disrupts linear narratives in favour of generative circles of enquiry.

Review

This essay, provocatively titled "Researching in circles," presents a compelling argument for re-evaluating historical methodology through the lenses of ‘critical intimacy’, return, and repetition. Focusing primarily on history-writing that utilizes material culture as primary evidence or engages with questions of materiality, the author challenges the prevailing emphasis on linear narratives. Instead, the essay advocates for "generative circles of enquiry," drawing on examples of eighteenth-century knowledge-making by non-elite individuals within the early modern home. This approach, informed by prior collaborative work, positions material culture not just as a source, but as a crucial analytical perspective capable of disrupting conventional historical understandings. The strength of this contribution lies in its articulation of an alternative, potentially richer, mode of historical engagement. The concept of "critical intimacy" suggests a nuanced, empathetic approach to historical subjects and their material worlds, moving beyond detached analysis. By emphasizing return and repetition, the essay encourages a deeper, multi-layered understanding of historical processes, acknowledging that insights often emerge through revisiting and re-interpreting sources rather than through a singular, forward-moving trajectory. The focus on non-elite individuals and the early modern home further enriches the discussion, highlighting overlooked sites and agents of intellectual and creative work, thereby democratizing the understanding of knowledge production in history. While the abstract clearly lays out an innovative framework, a full appreciation of its practical implications would benefit from a robust demonstration of "critical intimacy" in action. Future development of this work could delve deeper into the *how* of applying this methodology – for instance, what specific research practices constitute "generative circles," and how are potential pitfalls of circular reasoning (as opposed to generative enquiry) navigated? Further elaboration on the connection between this approach and existing theories of temporality, memory, and material culture studies would also strengthen its theoretical grounding and position it within broader academic conversations. Ultimately, this essay promises to offer a vital methodological intervention for historians and other scholars grappling with complex historical evidence and the challenge of crafting nuanced narratives.

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