Epistemic Processes in Visual History: How Historians Interpret and Use Images

In this study, we examine epistemic processes in the domain of history, focusing on how domain professionals work with visual historical sources. We ask: What kind of epistemic processes do historians employ when interpreting and using historical images? To answer this, we performed stimulated interviews with 37 domain specialists of various age and work backgrounds. From this data we identified 60 different epistemic processes related to the analysis of historical images. These processes were organized into nine main themes. Some of these epistemic processes—such as those regarding the means of historical image analysis or considering images as deliberate constructions—confirmed or extended prior reports of how historians use historical sources when creating interpretative accounts of the past. Other processes—such as those about working on or editing images or the ethical use of historical imagery—highlighted the importance of expanding previous accounts of epistemic processes in the domain to meet the expert practices of today. We discuss the importance of identifying variety in how knowledge of the past is produced for both research on history expertise and educational practices in history.