The writing practices in history after Hayden White

Abstract

This article provides an update on the state of the art regarding writing techniques and practices within the discipline of history, drawing upon the metahistorical analysis proposed by historian Hayden White as an explanatory paradigm for examining the concept of historical process. It explores the evolution of historical writing following the work of Hayden White, who, in *Metahistory* (1992), argued that historiography is structured by narrative and tropological strategies rather than solely by objective data. White challenges the distinction between history and fiction, emphasizing that every historical narrative entails aesthetic, moral, and ideological choices. The study identifies a paradigm shift: a move away from the linear, nationalist writing characteristic of the nation-state toward decolonial, multicultural, and digital approaches. New practices have emerged—such as situated history, critical literacy, and the use of hypertexts—which facilitate non-linear and multimedia narratives. Scholars such as Ginzburg and Morales Morelos illustrate this transition toward visual, museographic, and digital formats. The article concludes that contemporary historical writing prioritizes empirical data and the analysis of power, moving away from the organic "historical consciousness" of the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, a tension persists between documentary rigor and the influence of ideological frameworks, particularly within neoliberal contexts. Thus, the discipline of history is being redefined within a technological and globalized environment—one characterized not by universal historical subjects, but by a multiplicity of voices and formats.