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Key research themes
1. How does the New History reinterpret the relationship between historical narrative, historiography, and the construction of public memory?
This research area investigates how New History challenges traditional historiographical methods by embracing narrative complexity, the role of the historian's subjectivity, and the integration of historical writing as an active participant in shaping collective memory and identity. It matters because it reframes history not as an objective recounting of facts but as a dynamic discourse reflecting changing societal and intellectual contexts, thus influencing public understanding and engagement with the past.
Key finding: Le Roy Ladurie's narrative strategies in 'Carnival in Romans' exemplify New History's departure from positivist historiography by foregrounding the historian's multiple narrative voices (historian, commentator, emotional... Read more
Key finding: This work argues that recent historiographical debates reveal a quasi-substantive philosophy of history rooted in the recognition of history’s dual meaning as both event and narrative, emphasizing that revitalizing history’s... Read more
Key finding: The author articulates that contemporary calls for history to regain public relevance hinge on an implicit adherence to the developmental view of history, which presumes continuity and identity through time, a notion... Read more
Key finding: The paper maps historiographical discourse by distinguishing 'making history' from 'talking about history,' showing the latter as an inescapable, multifaceted practice with rich forms dating back to classical antiquity, and... Read more
Key finding: Guldi and Armitage propose that long-term historical perspectives are crucial yet underutilized in contemporary public discourse, critiquing the dominance of short-termism in politics, economics, and academia. They argue... Read more
2. In what ways does New Historicism reconceptualize the role of literature and culture within their historical and ideological contexts?
This theme examines New Historicism’s approach to analyzing literary texts as interwoven with historical discourses, power structures, and ideological formations, emphasizing literature’s political function and its embeddedness in cultural contexts. It matters because it shifts literary studies from formalist or autonomous text readings to historicized readings that reveal how texts both shape and are shaped by their cultural and political environments.
Key finding: Stephen During outlines New Historicism as a diffuse but influential movement that moves literary criticism away from autonomous textual analysis toward situating texts within their historical and cultural power relations. It... Read more
Key finding: This paper explicates New Historicism’s poststructuralist foundation, describing history as unstable and non-linear, constructed through multiple discourses interacting with institutional and cultural practices. It highlights... Read more
Key finding: The analysis distinguishes New Historicism from prior formalist and textualist approaches by underscoring its commitment to historicizing texts and recognizing literature as a cultural construct embedded within power... Read more
Key finding: Gallagher and Greenblatt demonstrate New Historicism as an interdisciplinary practice combining close literary analysis with historical anthropology and Foucauldian theory to explore representation and the circulation of... Read more
Key finding: This work critiques the limits of New Historicism’s cultural assimilation by highlighting its potential to reinforce dominant Western ideologies through selective incorporation, especially in cultural narratives such as... Read more
3. What are the critical challenges and debates regarding the teaching and public dissemination of history in contexts of conflict and national identity?
This theme explores controversies about history education and public memory in politically charged and conflictual settings, focusing on how reinterpretations of history influence identity formation, reconciliation, and societal transformation. It matters because history education is a battleground for competing narratives that either reinforce conflict or open possibilities for peace, citizenship, and pluralism, reflecting broader societal struggles over collective memory and legitimacy.
Key finding: This empirical study analyzes the Israeli 'New History' debates, showing how historical reinterpretations of the 1948 war challenged foundational Israeli identity narratives and fueled heated public and political... Read more
Key finding: This work identifies two separate paradigms in world history education: one privileging Western civilization heritage and the other advocating inclusive, transnational approaches focusing on humankind and interconnectedness.... Read more
Key finding: The paper reviews post-2004 Turkish history education reforms amid debates surrounding history’s role in citizenship and international relations. It finds persistent challenges including textbook content controversies,... Read more
Key finding: The analysis situates Latin American historiographical reflexivity as an intellectual history emerging from the recognition of region-specific epistemologies and the critique of colonial narratives. It shows how historical... Read more