The historical theory developed by Johann Gustav Droysen (1808–1884) stands out partly due to its consistent orientation towards didactical issues. Besides investigating the principles governing the historical method and the reasons that lead us to attribute the quality of being “historical†to certain portions of the past, it also devised answers to the question: “why should one write, study, and learn history?â€. In short, Droysen argues
that the main goal of studying history should be neither the assimilation of practical examples nor the memorization of particular facts, but rather the learning of what he called “historical thinkingâ€. I believe that Droysen’s argument set in motion a very significant redefinition of historiography’s didactical function. This article characterizes and contextualizes such redefinition, underlining some of its current potentials and limits.
