Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
This original study explores the development of the postmodern turn in history, brought on by the social, political and cultural changes of the 1970s and 1980s. Challenging notions of certainty and objectivity, postmodernism has questioned traditional models and methods in studying history. A timely intervention in an increasingly contentious area, this book evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of postmodern history.
Beginning with a brief account of historiography as an academic discipline, with its origins in the 'scientific historiography' of the nineteenth century, Willie Thompson charts the growth and development of the historical method in the twentieth century. He examines the impact of Marxist historiography, particularly in Britain and the United States, and the emergence of new approaches to history exemplified by the work of E.P. Thompson and others. In addition, Thompson assesses the impact of feminist, black and minority history.
'A brilliant explication of history'
Times Literary Supplement
Table of Contents
Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Contents | v | ||
Preface | vii | ||
Notes | 185 | ||
1. The Tradition Established | 1 | ||
The US | 14 | ||
Marxists and socialists | 18 | ||
Notes 1-17 | 185 | ||
18-36 | 186 | ||
37-48 | 187 | ||
2. War, Cold War and the 1960s Revolution | 24 | ||
Cold War | 26 | ||
The 1960s revolution | 34 | ||
Consequences | 41 | ||
The cutting edge | 49 | ||
Notes 1-6 | 187 | ||
7-29 | 188 | ||
30-54 | 189 | ||
55-56 | 190 | ||
3. Continuing Revolution or Counter-Revolution | 55 | ||
Adventures of the dialectic - social history in the backwash | 55 | ||
The French connection | 58 | ||
Anglo-American responses | 62 | ||
Why postmodernism? | 65 | ||
Notes 1-18 | 190 | ||
19-38 | 191 | ||
39-53 | 192 | ||
4. Institutions and Personnel | 71 | ||
Teaching | 73 | ||
Postgraduates | 77 | ||
Employment | 82 | ||
Archives | 85 | ||
Journals and publishers | 88 | ||
Other institutional frameworks | 92 | ||
Notes 1-6 | 192 | ||
7-20 | 193 | ||
21-28 | 194 | ||
5. Reality, Representation, Truth and Narrative | 96 | ||
Being and seeing | 96 | ||
Historiographical implications | 103 | ||
Hayden White and others | 111 | ||
Other deconstructionists | 118 | ||
Historical emplotment | 122 | ||
Notes 1-9 | 194 | ||
10-27 | 195 | ||
28-56 | 196 | ||
57-70 | 197 | ||
6. Grand Narrative | 128 | ||
Teleologies | 129 | ||
Evolution and culture | 138 | ||
Marxism | 142 | ||
Nietzsche and Foucault | 149 | ||
Grand narrative or long-term explanation? | 154 | ||
Notes 1-8 | 197 | ||
9-26 | 198 | ||
27-44 | 199 | ||
7. Identity and Morality | 157 | ||
Whose history? | 160 | ||
Evaluation in history | 167 | ||
Notes 1-4 | 199 | ||
5-21 | 200 | ||
22-26 | 201 | ||
Conclusion | 175 | ||
Notes 1-16 | 201 | ||
17-20 | 202 | ||
Brief Bibliography | 203 | ||
Abstract Expressionism, 178 | 178 | ||
Acton, John [Lord] | 10 |