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 25
... noted , ' historians are at least discussing the problems of writing social history in the 1990s , indeed the possibility of writing " history " at all in these postmodern times , the editorial of Social History's fiftieth issue boldly ...
... noted , ' historians are at least discussing the problems of writing social history in the 1990s , indeed the possibility of writing " history " at all in these postmodern times , the editorial of Social History's fiftieth issue boldly ...
Page 29
... noted , ' are by instinctive inclination hostile to philosophical and methodological criticism of their work , often wishing to rely instead on " common sense " . " 31 Nor have the few historians who have actually ventured to write ...
... noted , ' are by instinctive inclination hostile to philosophical and methodological criticism of their work , often wishing to rely instead on " common sense " . " 31 Nor have the few historians who have actually ventured to write ...
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... noted , he thought that ' If history was not to be a catalogue of suppositions ... it had to be solidly based on minute facts . ' Namier thought that Freud rather than Ranke had established the scientific principles on which the study ...
... noted , he thought that ' If history was not to be a catalogue of suppositions ... it had to be solidly based on minute facts . ' Namier thought that Freud rather than Ranke had established the scientific principles on which the study ...
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... history adopt a very different tactic . Hayden White , as Russell Jacoby , one of his most acute critics , has noted , ' assumes the idiom of the cool scientist scoffing at the ' The whole art of historical research , in many.
... history adopt a very different tactic . Hayden White , as Russell Jacoby , one of his most acute critics , has noted , ' assumes the idiom of the cool scientist scoffing at the ' The whole art of historical research , in many.
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... noted that ' very few drunken people were seen in the streets at any time during the wakes . ' There were descriptions of morris dancers and archery displays and accounts of an ascent in a balloon , but no mention of any violent ...
... noted that ' very few drunken people were seen in the streets at any time during the wakes . ' There were descriptions of morris dancers and archery displays and accounts of an ascent in a balloon , but no mention of any violent ...
Contents
22 | |
Society and the Individual | |
Objectivity and its Limits | |
Afterword | |
Further Reading | |
Index | |
About the Author | |
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Common terms and phrases
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