History: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #016

by John H. Arnold

There are many stories we can tell about the past, and we are not, perhaps, as free as we might imagine in our choice of which stories to tell, or where those stories end. John Arnold's addition to Oxford's popular Very Short Introductions series is a stimulating essay about how people study and understand history. The book begins by inviting us to think about various questions provoked by our investigation of history, and then explores the ways in which these questions have been answered in the past. Such key concepts as causation, interpretation, and periodization are introduced by way of concrete examples of how historians work, thus giving the reader a sense of the excitement implicit in discovering the past--and ourselves.

The aim throughout A Very Short Introduction is to discuss theories of history in a general, pithy, and accessible manner, rather than delve into specific periods. This is a book that will appeal to all students and general readers with an interest in history or historiography.

About the
Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Philosophy, World History, Academic, School, Historical

137 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

John Hugh Arnold (born 1969) is a British historian. Since 2016, he has been the Professor of Medieval History at the University of Cambridge. He previously worked at Birkbeck College, University of London, where he specialised in the study of medieval religious culture. He has also written widely on historiography and why history matters.

Born 28 November 1969, Arnold received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in medieval studies from the University of York. He was professor of medieval history at Birkbeck College, University of London, from 2008. He joined the college as a lecturer in 2001. Before that he was a lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He is a member of the Social History Society and the Medieval Academy of America.

Arnold specialises in the study of medieval religious culture, saying that while he has never been a believer in any religion, "belief" has always fascinated him. In his work he asks "Why do people believe the things they believe? What does 'believing' really mean in practice?" Arnold has also written widely about historiography. In 2008 he wrote a policy paper, Why history matters - and why medieval history also matters, for History & Policy.

Reviews

[Yasin Çetin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarihin serüveninin hikayesi: Mezopotamya'da meşrutiyet aracı olarak geçmişin kullanılması, Herodotos ve Thukydides arasındaki siyaset ve kültür ayrımı, Roma'da ulusal tarihin gelişmesi, Kilise'nin Tarihi kullanması, Rönesans'da tarih, Kilise çatışmasında tarih, Aydınlanma dönemi tarih ve 19. Yüzyıl içinde tarihin bir meslek haline gelmesi. Son bölümde ise Tarihin diğer disiplinlerle girdiği ilişki sonucu, Marx'ın fikirleri, tarihi, toplumsal, ekonomik ve kültür ile ilgilenen bir alana dönüştürmüş ve öteki grupları da kapsayarak, yeryüzünde olan her insan davranışını anlamaya çalışan bir disipline dönüşmüştür.

Tarihçiliğin nasıl yapıldığı ise dört farklı konu üzerinden ayrıntılı, anlaşılır ve doyurucu bir şekilde anlatılmıştır.

[Mehmet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okuduğum bazı akademik kitapları da buraya eklemeye karar verdim. Son zamanlarda okuduğum ufuk açıcı kitaplardan birisi. Tarihin nasıl yazılacağı konusunda geçmişten birkaç farklı örneği kullanarak ve onları her yönüyle inceleyerek bir kılavuz sunuyor. Neleri yapmamız ve yapmamamız gerektiğini bu örnekleri kullanarak anlatıyor. Bir tarih mezunu olarak keşke cesaret edip daha önceden okusaymışım dedirtti. İngilizcesi de gayet rahatmış halbuki.