Qualitative Research: An Introduction to Methods and Designs

The When: The Historical Context of an Earlier Era

Like with our considerations about what historians study, the question of the “when” is similarly complex. It is not just a date. Historians study earlier eras or moments in time, and these earlier times are like completely different worlds from today. Each moment in time is unique because there are differing circumstances of a particular era. Historians refer to this as the context. Context gives meaning to past events; it helps us understand the importance of an event given the larger picture. Imagine, for instance, a picture of a flower. Without understanding what surrounds that flower, we cannot really understand its importance or even its meaning. Only when we step back and see what is around ...