Skip to main content

Distributed for Reaktion Books

A New Philosophy of History

What is history? From Thucydides to Toynbee historians and nonhistorians alike have wondered how to answer this question. A New Philosophy of History reflects on developments over the last two decades in historical writing, not least the renewed interest in the status of narrative itself and the presence of the authorial "voice." Subjects include the problems of Grand Narrative, multiple voices and the personal presence of the historian in his text, the ambitions of the French Annales school and the so-called "Grand Chronicler," and the relevance of non-literary models—museum presentations and picturings—regarding historical discourse.

The range of approaches found in A New Philosophy of History ensures that this book will establish itself as required reading not only for historians, but for everyone interested in literary theory, philosophy, or cultural studies.

This volume presents essays by Hans Kellner, Nancy F. Partner, Richard T. Vann, Arthur C. Danto, Linda Orr, Philippe Carrard, Ann Rigney, Allan Megill, Robert Berkhofer, Stephen Bann, and Frank Ankersmit.

300 pages | 4 halftones | © 1995

History: General History

Philosophy: History and Classic Works


Reaktion Books image

View all books from Reaktion Books

Table of Contents

Photographic Acknowledgements
Notes on the Editors and Contributors
Introduction: Describing Redescriptions by Hans Kellner
1: Historicity in an age of Reality-Fictions
Nancy F. Partner
2: Turning Linguistic: History and Theory and History and Theory, 1960-1975
Richard T. Vann
3: The Decline and Fall of the Analytical Philosophy of History
Arthur C. Danto
4: Intimate Images: Subjectivity and History—Stael, Michelet and Tocqueville
Linda Orr
5: Theory of a Practice: Historical Enunciation and the Annales School
Philippe Carrard
6: Relevance, Revision and the Fear of Long Books
Ann Rigney
7: ’Grand Narrative’ and the Discipline of History
Allan Megill
8: A Point of View on Viewpoints in Historical Practice
Robert F. Berkhofer
9: History as Competence and Performance: Notes on the Ironic Museum
Stephen Bann
10: Statements, Texts and Pictures
Frank Ankersmit
References
Bibliographical Essay
Frank Ankersmit
Index

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press