ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the ideology of many microhistorians, who feel compelled to approach their field of study by unconventional routes, as the intention is to expose the hidden meaning in discourse and actions, which is often not visible in the defined framework of different groups and social classes. Every person’s manner and body language has its own qualities which give meaning to life; but these can only be discerned by scrutinizing all the details of each subject. This ideology opens up an opportunity for microhistorians to examine their subjects minutely, and to discuss them in an enlightened manner. This ideology often leads to such detailed examination of objects and materials on the scholar’s desk that the result may be a revelation of something that might be called “slow violence”, a behavioral pattern that characterized many societies and was often “hidden” in the language and the mentality of the general public as well as those in power.
