Elite´s Historiography in Hispanic American: 1992-2005

Abstract

The study of the formation, behaviour and reproduction of Hispanic American colonial elites has been an extraordinary fertile research field since the Seventies. A close view to the recent historiography shows its conclusive validity in the area of American studies, but behind this apparent continuity appears a heterogeneous reality that tries to reach more complex and satisfactory answers to the élite phenomenon. Such quantity of works is due to the incorporation of new areas and periods to the research, to the amplitude of themes associated to the elite’s world and, especially, to the multiple theories and methodological tendencies present in this area. This article pretends to be a general description of the different ways followed by the elite research, between 1992 and 2005, by showing its themes, approaches and methods.