In Defence of History“A lucid, muscular, and often sly reflection” on the worth and purpose of historical scholarship by the award-winning author of The Third Reich Trilogy (Kirkus). In this volume, the renowned historian Richard J. Evans offers a fervent and deeply insightful defense of his craft and its importance to civilization. At a time when fact and historical truth are under unprecedented assault, Evans shows us why history is necessary. Taking us into the historians’ workshop, he offers a firsthand look at how good history gets written. In staunch opposition to the wilder claims of postmodern historians, Evans thoroughly dismantles the notion that a realistic grasp of history is impossible to attain. He then goes on to explain the deadly political dangers of losing a historical perspective on the way we live our lives. In the tradition of E.H. Carr’s What Is History? and G.R. Elton’s The Practice of History, Evans’ In Defense of History delivers “a model of lucid and intelligent historiographical analysis” (The Guardian, UK). |
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Page 19
... happened at the Stalybridge Wakes. Christine Corton, as always, has provided support and encouragement. Becky Hardie and the production and design teams at Granta have done a superb job on the finished text. My thanks to all of them ...
... happened at the Stalybridge Wakes. Christine Corton, as always, has provided support and encouragement. Becky Hardie and the production and design teams at Granta have done a superb job on the finished text. My thanks to all of them ...
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... happened, ultimately, because God willed them to happen; human history was the playground of supernatural forces of Good and Evil. The rationalist historians of the Enlightenment substituted for this a mode of historical explanation ...
... happened, ultimately, because God willed them to happen; human history was the playground of supernatural forces of Good and Evil. The rationalist historians of the Enlightenment substituted for this a mode of historical explanation ...
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... happened.'2 This last phrase is perhaps Ranke's most famous, and it has been widely misunderstood. The German phrase which Ranke used – 'Wie es eigentlich gewesen' – is better translated as 'how it essentially was', for Ranke meant not ...
... happened.'2 This last phrase is perhaps Ranke's most famous, and it has been widely misunderstood. The German phrase which Ranke used – 'Wie es eigentlich gewesen' – is better translated as 'how it essentially was', for Ranke meant not ...
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... happened, are in some sense scientific; but not so the discovery of the causes and effects of these events.' In reaching this judgment, he was echoing the original principles of Ranke, who had distinguished in his day between the ...
... happened, are in some sense scientific; but not so the discovery of the causes and effects of these events.' In reaching this judgment, he was echoing the original principles of Ranke, who had distinguished in his day between the ...
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... happening again was a material influence in causing the leading Bolsheviks to gang up on Trotsky, the head of the Red Army and the man everyone thought most likely to become the Russian Bonaparte. Thus in practice the historical law of ...
... happening again was a material influence in causing the leading Bolsheviks to gang up on Trotsky, the head of the Red Army and the man everyone thought most likely to become the Russian Bonaparte. Thus in practice the historical law of ...
Contents
22 | |
Society and the Individual | |
Objectivity and its Limits | |
Afterword | |
Further Reading | |
Index | |
About the Author | |
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Abraham academic American Historical Review Appleby approach argued argument Arthur Marwick belief Britain British Cambridge Carr's century claim concept contemporary critics critique cultural David debate Defence of History Derrida discipline discourse documents E. H. Carr E. P. Thompson Easthope economic history England Evans evidence example fact Frank Ankersmit French G. M. Trevelyan Geoffrey Elton German Hayden White historians historical knowledge historical profession historical scholarship historical writing Historiography History and Post-Modernism History London Holocaust Holocaust denial Hugh Trevor-Roper Hunt and Jacob ibid ideas ideology Intellectual History Intelligent Person's Guide interpretation J. H. Hexter Keith Jenkins kind LaCapra language Lawrence Stone linguistic turn literary Marxist meaning modern moral Namier narrative Noble Dream Novick objectivity Oxford past Patrick Joyce political postmodernism postmodernist present Purkiss quoted reality Revolution scientific sense Social History social sciences society sources thought Trevelyan Vincent written Zeldin