Final answer:
The practice is called contextual analysis, where historians study the political, social, cultural, and economic setting surrounding a historical event to understand it more thoroughly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The practice of studying the political, social, cultural, and economic setting surrounding a historical event in order to understand it more thoroughly is called contextual analysis. Historians analyze the context in which an event occurred to gain insights into the factors and forces that influenced the event and its outcomes. By considering the broader historical, social, political, and economic conditions, historians can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the event and its significance.