Concise Companion to History

What is our relationship with the past? A quiet revolution has transformed the ways in which History provides us with answers. Indeed, not so long ago the very question might have seemed odd. But in recent decades the solid moorings to which History was seemingly tethered have proved less secure than earlier supposed. That realization has produced some discomfiture, but also many more opportunities for understanding worlds with which we have lost connection. No single book can hope to reflect all the ways in which History has 'changed with the times' nor can, or should, a volume with numerous contributors speak with one voice. Yet the Companion does range widely, addressing key themes and structures from new areas of enquiry as well as providing fresh treatment of established fields; and it does mark a significant departure in a genre still shaped by stories that are predominantly Western. It reflects a practice of history that seeks global connections and pioneers a sustained dialogue between historians specializing in the history of particular continents. It does not, in the sharply ridiculing phrase of one historian, compare the Ashanti empire to the British empire. But the scholars writing in this book build on the much greater awareness that 'Western' achievements and claims to modernity were often not as unique as once portrayed, and that the history of interconnections and multi-centric developments of different civilisations is crucial for a proper critical understanding of the past. Escorted by some of the world's leading historians, readers of the Companion will find in these pages an indispensable guide to what history is today. The stellar cast of authors... [introduce] the reader to some of the most exciting developments in the field of history over the past three decades... the book achieves a great deal. Stefan Berger, Times Literary Supplement Ambitious...rich and challenging...makes some significant contributions Alix Green, Reviews in History How has the writing of history changed over the past half century? What are the topics and issues that interest historians today? These questions, and many more, are addressed in the Concise Companion, a pioneering and exceptionally stimulating volume of essays which indicate some of the ways in which the challenges of globalization are forcing historians to rethink their approaches to the past. Sir John Elliott, Regius Professor Emeritus of Modern History, University of Oxford Ulinka Rublack has created a true companion volume for readers of recent and current historical writing. In an astonishing feat of editorship, she brings together some of the best living historians and some insuperable essays on the state and drift of the subject. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, William P. Reynolds Professor of History, Notre Dame UniversityPreface ; PART I: WRITING HISTORY ; 1. History and World History ; 2. Causation ; 3. The Status of Historical Knowledge ; 4. Historians ; PART II: THEMES AND STRUCTURES ; 5. Commerce ; 6. Power ; 7. Communication ; 8. Population ; 9. Gender ; 10. Culture ; 11. Ethnicity ; 12. Science ; 13. Environmental History ; 14. Religion ; 15. Emotions ; 16. The Power of Ideas ; Acknowledgements ; Index