How did Johann Gottfried von Herder change the subjects historians chose to study?

Johann Gottfried von Herder significantly shifted the focus of historical inquiry by moving away from traditional political and diplomatic history toward the study of social, cultural, and intellectual history.1

Herder’s approach was rooted in his concept of the Volk, or culture, which he believed possessed a unique "ethnic soul" (Volksseele) expressed through its language, traditions, and religion. By championing cultural relativism, he argued that every culture should be understood and judged within its own context rather than measured against a singular standard of rationality. This perspective legitimated the study of folk literature and oral traditions, which he viewed as essential repositories of a culture's identity.12

Furthermore, Herder elevated the importance of the historical imagination, suggesting that the spiritual development of a people—such as the relationship between their art and social institutions—could be grasped through insight rather than purely rational analysis. His work ultimately helped establish the foundations for Romanticism by emphasizing the distinctiveness of national identities.1