Teaching Principles of Historical Science for Social Science Research on Europe

This paper examines how principles of historical science – particularly the method of source criticism – can enhance the rigor and interpretive depth of contemporary social science research on the European Union. Students writing master dissertations in the field of EU studies frequently rely on policy documents, institutional reports, interviews, media sources, and other types of data. Yet, the critical evaluation of the reliability and validity of these data sources often remains rather superficial. The systematic evaluative tools developed within historical scholarship are often underutilized. By integrating source criticism into social science methodologies, researchers can more effectively assess the provenance, purpose, bias, and reliability of the diverse textual and digital materials that shape understandings of European governance. The paper offers a framework of how graduate students can operationalize key components of source criticism – external and internal analysis, contextualization, and comparative interpretation – to navigate the complexity of EU primary sources. This interdisciplinary approach not only strengthens empirical findings but also promotes reflexivity in the treatment of evidence. Ultimately, applying historical source criticism within social science research fosters more nuanced, transparent, and methodologically robust analyses of contemporary European political and institutional processes.