Summary of theories and individuals 'Thinking About History' Chapter 1-3
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Course
Introduction to the Study of History (GE1V16002)
Institution
Universiteit Utrecht (UU)
Book
Thinking About History
A summary of the theories and individuals mentioned within Sarah Maza's 'Thinking About History' - This includes the introduction, the history of whom, where, and what.
Particularly important theories are in more detail but some are summarised briefly, explaining the most necessary points.
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Notes + answered syllabus questions for ''Introduction to the Study of History''
Thinking About History - summary
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History
Introduction to the Study of History (GE1V16002)
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Thinking About History – Brief descriptions and summaries of included theories
and people.
- Introduction, History of Whom, Where, What
Introduction:
History is a discipline -->discipline = study. The study of history is defined
by gaining perspective on the said matter. ability to view differing
perspectives.
o Maza says the past classes as seconds ago - history is when there is
perspective.
The past History Historiograph
y
-Not researched. -is researched. -studying way
history was
-No perspectives/ not -has perspectives,
written + who
looked into. which were built
this was done
from research +
--> it just happened (so by.
time.
eating cereal writing
-Looks into
notes, walking into -Maza states history
factors which
class) is usually 1-2
contributed/
decades old.
influence how it
was written.
Relevant Figures
- Peter Geyl showing the importance of perspective within history.
‘History is an argument without end’. It will always be controversial,
people will always complain.
- Goldhagen and Browning Both wrote books on the causation of the
Holocaust. But had different understandings.
o Disagreement over what made German, ordinary men commit
crimes during the holocaust.
Goldhagen: Germans willingly took part in these acts due to
unique 'eliminationist anti-Semitism' (this argument was in
response to Browning's book)
Browning: argued several factors influenced the people -->
Reserve Police Battalion from Hamburg, were not intensively
indoctrinated but just anxious when asked to do tasks, being
forced and having to do them anyway.
o Goldhagen's review was heavily criticised by other historians --> it
was seen as too narrow-minded, despite being a beneficial
viewpoint to observe. Again showing the need for perspective but
that also historians can have the same evidence but can come to
different conclusions.
, - William H. Sewell argued ''historians' distinctive contribution to the social sciences is their
analysis of how human action unfolds overtime.' (pg3-4)
o He further argues, historians reconstruct sequences of events and the consequences
of them, looking at the contextual factors which render the outcome of given
situations.
Looking at the event and context --> theory of ''social temporality'' --> Sewell says it
is ''lumpy, uneven, unpredictable, discontinuous,'' - which would be sped up by
events such as like wars or revolutions.
- Lynne Cheney (conservative former director of National Endowment for Humanities) -->
delivered attack upon Wall Street Journal saying curriculums foregrounded historical actors
like Harriet Tubman at the expense of more important figures like George Washington…
The History of Whom:
Gertrude Himmelfarb
o saying political history should be above other histories - where
humans are most rational.
E.p. Thompson
o 'The making of the english working class'. Large range of people.
History from below. + accessible to everyone. + no data.
George + Thomas Macaulely
o linked PH + SH --> believed the masses didn't contribute to politics/
made no good change to society. Politics only happens in highest
realm.
John Keegan
o 'The face of battle' --> first notable work of people from below.
Focusing on the soldiers who fought battles, rather than the leaders.
No battle without soldiers, not won by leaders but by the armies.
'ground level'.
The History of Where:
National identity and history Historians have looked upon the way in which
certain countries almost pick and choose what has 'built up their nation'. It is
important to observe a nation's past when building a national identity (when
living in the country) however 'imagined community' is used commonly today
and specifically within the past century. Countries/nations can choose to ignore
large parts of their history.
o An example of this is through the exclusion of black veterans during
the battle of Gettysburg anniversary (15 years post event), where
the slavery and work of the black veterans were simply forgotten
about, despite the president being there and despite it being a
hugely significant thing.
o Additionally, some nations choose to group and show how one can
be part of their nation through other methods --> the World War
cemeteries, where thousands and thousands of gravestones lie,
specific to a certain nation.
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