Synopses & Reviews
This dazzlingly original collaboration between two international authors focuses on 20 macrohistorians—that is to say, historians who have helped shape our entire way of conceiving ourselves—from Ssu-Ma Ch'ien and Ibn Khaldun to Oswald Spengler and Marx and Piritim Sorokin and Arnold Toynbee. The authors move toward a general theory of grand social change based on the writings of these macrohistorians and provide a comparative view of macrohistory and sociology.
The book brings a cross-cultural and transhistorical perspective to the study of social change, analyzing macrohistorians and macrohistory comparatively and synthetically, from the traditional linear-cyclical divide as well as including broader transcendental and feminist approaches. Like a road map par excellence for the study of civilizational change, the book captures the panoramic sweep of history and helps readers learn to appreciate, and henceforth include in the circle of greats, those non-Western thinkers whose work they may until now have neglected.^L ^L Johan Galtung, Sohail Inayatullah, and the other contributors to ^IMacrohistory and Macrohistorians^R demonstrate that each generation may give new perspectives to ideas that we thought we understood. The book covers the vital perspective out of which the 21st century emerges, and in the cases of Sorokin, Toynbee, and Eisler, deals with theories directly bearing on the potential shape of the next thousand years. It brings a cross-cultural and transhistorical perspective to the study of social change and will be of considerable interest to historians and sociologists as well as students of philosophy, historiography, and political science.
Review
This is a coherent and rare guide to big picture thinking and hence essential groundwork to underpin the long view ahead. A magnificent achievement.Richard A. Slaughter, Director Future Studies Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Review
A beautifully written book that succeeds in bringing together in a systematic manner the major theories of historical evolution--a path-breaking contribution.Thorsteinn Thorgeirsson, Senior Economist Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris
Review
Richly eclectic, [this book] is an indispensible addition to the historical, sociological, peace and futures literature. It invites dialogue on our ways of knowing about social change, historical dynamics, and violent and non-violent futures. Drawing on the writings of macro or "big-picture" histories, it offers fascinating insights about various civilizational traditions and theorizing about social change processes. It highlights the limitations of Western-centric claims to correctly know the patternings of history whilst raising the challenge of moving beyond hard deterministic thinking.Francis P. Hutchenson Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Social Inquiry University of Western Sydney, Australia Author, Educating Beyond Violent Futures
Review
"This is a coherent and rare guide to big picture thinking and hence essential groundwork to underpin the long view ahead. A magnificent achievement." - Richard A. Slaughter, Director Future Studies Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Synopsis
Galtung and Inayatullah focus on "macrohistorians"--those historians, from Ibn Khaldun to Oswald Spengler and from Piritim Sorokin to Arnold Toynbee--who have helped shape our way of conceiving of ourselves.
Synopsis
An eclectic and civilizationally rich theory of grand social change is the objective of this collection of essays focusing on historians--from Ibn Khaldun to Oswald Spengler and from Piritim Sorokin to Arnold Toynbee--who have helped shape our way of conceiving of ourselves.
About the Author
JOHAN GALTUNG is Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, Universitet i Tromso, and Universitat Witten/Herdecke.SOHAIL INAYATULLAH is presently Senior Research Fellow at Queensland University of Technology and author of numerous books on Islamic and Indian perspectives on social theory.