Synopses & Reviews
History in Crisis? provides students with an in-depth look at the practices, methods, and theoretical assumptions Western historians employ in their quest to decipher and interpret events of the past. Students are exposed to the inner workings of the historical world, allowing them to discover and understand the approaches historians utilize to conduct research, and to fully comprehend what the pursuit of historical truth actually entails. By offering an introduction to historical research, a brief survey of the formal philosophy of history, and investigations of the concerns and questions facing today's historians, Norman J. Wilson provides students with the skills and tools necessary to understand the study of history, analyze historical problems, and most importantly, become active participants in the currently expanding historical conversation.
Synopsis
This book explores the possibilities remaining for historical study in the face of the current trends, including postcolonialism, postmodernism, and deconstruction, among others. The volume examines key topics such as what was history and what is history? The problems of historical knowledge: historicism, presentism, and the writing of history, cross-pollination, varieties of history, historical actors, post modernist (re)visions, post-colonialism and the scope of history, as well as the future of history. For those interested in the study of history as well as those interested in the influence of recent political trends.
Table of Contents
1. What Was History?
2. What Is History?
3. Problems Of Historical Knowledge: Historicism, Presentism, and the Writing Of History.
4. Cross-Pollination.
5. Varieties Of History.
6. Historical Actors.
7. Post Modernist (Re)visions.
8. Post-Colonialism and the Scope of History.
9. The Future of History.
Index.