The Degradation of American HistoryAmerican historical writing has traditionally been one of our primary forms of moral reflection. However, David Harlan argues that in the disillusionment following the 1960s, history abandoned its redemptive potential and took up the methodology of the social sciences. In this provocative new book, Harlan describes the reasons for this turn to objectivity and professionalism, explains why it failed, and examines the emergence of a New Traditionalism in American historical writing. Part One, "The Legacy of the Sixties," describes the impact of literary theory in the 1970s and beyond, the rise of women's history, the various forms of ideological analysis developed by historians on the left, and the crippling obsession with professionalism in the 1980s. Part Two, "The Renewal of American Historical Writing," focuses on the contributions of John Patrick Diggins, Hayden White, Richard Rorty, Elaine Showalter, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and others. Harlan argues that at the end of the twentieth century American historical writing is perfectly poised to become what it once was: not one of the social sciences in historical costume, but a form of moral reflection that speaks to all Americans. "[A] wholly admirable work. This book will be talked about for years."—Library Journal |
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aesthetic African American literary African American literature American culture American history American Jeremiad Appleby argued Black Arts movement called canon century contemporary context continue course David Hollinger Derrida described Diggins emphasis Essays example experience explained feminist Feminist Criticism Figures in Black Foucault Gates's Gender Haskell Hayden White Henry Louis Gates Hermeneutics historical writing Historiography human Ibid idea Ideology imagination insisted Intellectual History interpretation irony J. G. A. Pocock Jeremiad John Joyce Kloppenberg LaCapra language liberal linguistic literary history live meaning metaphor mind moral narrative objectivity ourselves particular past Perry Miller Philosophy political postmodern Pragmatism problems Puritan Puritan Origins Quentin Skinner quoted reconstruct Review rhetoric Richard Rorty Rorty's Sacvan Bercovitch Schlesinger Scott sense Showalter signifying simply Sister's Choice Skinner and Pocock social structure tell theory things thinkers thought tion tropes truth Typology understanding University Press wants William women words wrote York
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Page vii - I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun, I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags. I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love, If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles. You will hardly know who I am or what I mean, But I shall be good health to you nevertheless, And filter and fibre your blood. Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged, Missing me one place search another, I stop somewhere waiting for you.