Change and continuity

Change and continuity is a classic dichotomy within the fields of history, historical sociology, and social sciences more broadly. The dichotomy is used to discuss and evaluate the extent to which a historical development or event represents a decisive change or whether a situation remains largely unchanged. The question of change and continuity is considered a classic discussion in the study of historical developments. One example could be a discussion about how much and why the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 represents an important change in European history. The dichotomy lends itself to constructing and evaluating historical periodizations. In terms of creating and peridizations (e.g. the Enlightenment or the Victorian Era), the dichotomy can be used to discuss whether when a period should start and end. Therefore, the dichotomy is also important in relation to understanding of historical chronology.