Luis González y González

Microhistory emerged as an independent field after the 1950s, gaining ground in Italy, Mexico, France and the United States. Despite its increasing popularity, comprehensive theoretical and methodological studies have remained few in number for decades. Despite their differences in approach and understanding, the French historian Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie and the Mexican historian Luis González y González, both trained in the French historical schools, were key figures in the development of microhistory. Le Roy Ladurie focuses his archival analysis on the social, economic and religious manifestations of smaller settlements in France. Luis González explores the microcosm of Mexican villages, highlighting local dynamics and local “small” voices. However, both historians emphasize the importance of microscopic details for understanding larger “historical narratives”, despite criticisms from historians influenced by the “linguistic turn”, and despite accusations in reductionism and fictionalisation. The contributions of Le Roy Ladurie and Luis González helped shape microhistory as a nuanced approach to historical research that balances the local “narrative” with the broader socio-political context.