French Historical Revolution (Annales School 1929-1989)

Author: Burke
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: This book is a critical history of the French Annales School, examining the development of this group of historical scholars over six decades since the creation of the Annales journal in 1929. Without a doubt, the Annales School is the most influential historiographical movement of the 20th century. In the process of the development of what is known as "new history," it was the most important driving force. The Annales group combined traditional historiography and geography with various social sciences such as economics, linguistics, psychology, and anthropology, expanding the field of historical study into a broad domain of human activity. They pioneered a series of new methods, such as problem-oriented history, comparative history, historical psychology, geographical history, long-term history, series history, and historical anthropology, among others. Peter Burke distinguished three generations of scholars in the development of the Annales School. The first generation included the founders Lucien Febvre and Marc Bloch, who challenged traditional historiographical systems, founded the Annales journal, and encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration. The second generation was led by Bloch, who was hailed as one of the most outstanding historians of his time. The third generation included contemporary renowned historians such as Daniel Duby, Roger Chartier, and Jacques Le Goff. Burke's analysis is meticulous and concise, offering a clear overview of the key classics and branches of the Annales movement.