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). |
From inside the book
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Richard J. Evans. work of critical scholarship will be finished . In the case of some ancient periods , for which documents are rare , we can now see that in a generation or two it will be time to stop . ' Similar beliefs were indeed ...
Richard J. Evans. work of critical scholarship will be finished . In the case of some ancient periods , for which documents are rare , we can now see that in a generation or two it will be time to stop . ' Similar beliefs were indeed ...
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... scholarship that was as rigorous as it was extensive.18 But although he paid due regard to the ' scientific ' aspects of his subject , he thought that ' the idea that the facts of history are of value as part of an exact science ...
... scholarship that was as rigorous as it was extensive.18 But although he paid due regard to the ' scientific ' aspects of his subject , he thought that ' the idea that the facts of history are of value as part of an exact science ...
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... scholarship were lavished on the publication of vast documentary collections designed to provide the basic materials for national histories , such as the Monumenta Germaniae Historica or the Calendars of State Papers . The Prussian ...
... scholarship were lavished on the publication of vast documentary collections designed to provide the basic materials for national histories , such as the Monumenta Germaniae Historica or the Calendars of State Papers . The Prussian ...
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... scholarship as pedantic and anti - democratic . " The German footnotes , ' as one of them said in 1915 , ' is on the wane.'23 And for G. M. Trevelyan , the defeat of the Germans also represented the defeat of ' German “ scientific ...
... scholarship as pedantic and anti - democratic . " The German footnotes , ' as one of them said in 1915 , ' is on the wane.'23 And for G. M. Trevelyan , the defeat of the Germans also represented the defeat of ' German “ scientific ...
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... scholarship . Economic dislocation in Europe and America meant that historians ' income declined , relatively few new historians were trained , and in the many European countries - the majority , in fact which fell victim to ...
... scholarship . Economic dislocation in Europe and America meant that historians ' income declined , relatively few new historians were trained , and in the many European countries - the majority , in fact which fell victim to ...
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