* Surveys the evolution of historical thought in the Western World from biblical times to the present day. * Provides students with the background to contemporary historical debates and approaches. * Serves as a useful reference for researchers and teachers. * Includes chapters by 24 leading historians. .

List of Contributors viii Acknowledgments xii Introduction: The Cultural History of Historical Thought Lloyd Kramer and Sarah Maza 1 Part I The Pre-modern Origins of Western Historical Thought 1 Historiography in Ancient Israel John Van Seters 15 2 Historical Thought in Ancient Greece Philip A. Stadter 35 3 Historical Thought in Ancient Rome J. E. Lendon 60 4 Historical Thought in Medieval Europe Gabrielle M. Spiegel 78 5 Historical Thought in the Renaissance Paula Findlen 99 Part II The Shaping of Modern Western Historical Thought 6 Historical Thought in the Era of the Enlightenment Johnson Kent Wright 123 7 German Historical Thought in the Age of Herder, Kant, and Hegel Harold Mah 143 8 German Historical Writing from Ranke to Weber: The Primacy of Politics Harry Liebersohn 166 9 National History in the Age of Michelet, Macaulay, and Bancroft Thomas N. Baker 185 10 Marxism and Historical Thought Walter L. Adamson 205 Part III Patterns in Twentieth-century Western Historical Thought 11 The Professionalization of Historical Studies and the Guiding Assumptions of Modern Historical Thought Georg G. Iggers 225 12 The History of Armed Power Peter Paret 243 13 Total History and Microhistory: The French and Italian Paradigms David A. Bell 262 14 Anthropology and the History of Culture William M. Reddy 277 15 The History of Science, Or, an Oxymoronic Theory of Relativistic Objectivity Ken Alder 297 16 Language, Literary Studies, and Historical Thought Susan A. Crane 319 17 Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and Historical Thought Lynn Hunt 337 18 Redefining Historical Identities: Sexuality, Gender, and the Self Carolyn J. Dean 357 19 Historicizing Natural Environments: The Deep Roots of Environmental History Andrew C. Isenberg 372 Part IV Challenges to the Boundaries of Western Historical Thought 20 The New World History Jerry H. Bentley 393 21 Postcolonial History Prasenjit Duara 417 22 The Multicultural History of Nations Donna R. Gabaccia 432 23 New Technologies and Historical Knowledge James M. Murray 447 24 The Visual Media and Historical Knowledge Robert A. Rosenstone 466 Consolidated Bibliography 482 Index 495

This broad survey introduces readers to the major themes, figures, traditions and theories in Western historical thought, tracing its evolution from biblical times to the present. The volume comprises 24 chapters by leading historians who discuss conceptions of and approaches to the human past in the ancient, medieval, early modern and modern West, stressing the long-term patterns and traditions in historical thinking that survive to this day. Chapters range from overviews of eras in the history of historical thought, to discussions of new methods that historians have drawn from other disciplines and of new historical subjects, such as gender, sexuality, selfhood, and natural environments. The volume concludes with essays on contemporary challenges to classic, Western definitions of history that have emerged in global history, multiculturalism, post-colonialism, and new technologies. For students, this Companion provides the background they need in order to understand contemporary historical debates and approaches, while for researchers and teachers it will serve as a useful reference work.

"This companion is expansive in its subject and links with other disciplines, such as ancient history and the classics, anthropology, Biblical studies and theology… It covers many expected subjects, but also explores lesser-known areas of historical interest as well as the challenges to historical thought in the twenty-first century that will continue to make this companion a useful library resource." Reference Reviews

List of Contributors. Acknowledgments. Introduction: The Cultural History of Historical Thought. Part I: The Pre-Modern Origins of Western Historical Thought:. Part II: The Shaping of Modern Western Historical Thought:. Part III: Patterns in Twentieth-Century Western Historical Thought:. Part IV: Challenges to the Boundaries of Western Historical Thought: Consolidated Bibliography. Index.