French Historical Revolution: The Annales School. 1929-1989

Author: Burke
Publisher:
Publication 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 sixty years 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 research 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 historiography and established the Annales journal, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. The second generation was led by Blois, who was hailed as one of the most outstanding historians of his time. The third generation included contemporary renowned historians such as Duby, Le Goff, and Le Roy Ladurie. Burke's analysis is meticulous and concise, offering a clear overview of the key classics and branches of the Annales movement.