Deconstructing History [Paperback]

Alun Munslow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2006 | ISBN-10: 041539144X | ISBN-13: 978-0415391443 | Edition: 2

Surveying the latest research, this welcome second edition of Alun Munslow s successful Deconstructing History provides an excellent introduction to the debates and issues of postmodernist history.

This new edition has been updated and revised and, along with the original discussion material and topics, now:

• assesses the claims of history as a form of truthful explanation
• discusses the limits of conventional historical thinking and practice, and the responses of the new empiricists to the book s central arguments
• examines the arrival of experimental history and its implications
• clarifies the utility of addressing Michael Foucault and Hayden White, and strengthens the analysis of Frank R. Ankersmit s recent work.

Along with an updated glossary, and a revised bibliography, this second edition will not only live up to its predecessor s reputation, but will surpass it as the most essential student resource for studying history and its practice.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alun Munslow is Principal Lecturer in History at the University of Staffordshire and editor of Rethinking History.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (April 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 041539144X
• ISBN-13: 978-0415391443
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > History > Historical Study > Philosophy of History

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deconstruction laid out, December 6, 2008

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T. Kunikov (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Deconstructing History (Paperback)

I've taken a methodology and theory class twice now, once for my MA and just recently as part of a Ph.D. history program. I can only wonder what I would have thought of this book if I had a chance to read it before finishing my latest foray into historiography. This text is not for the layman but if you have a background in historiography and have an interest in understanding how postmodernism has had an effect on historical writing and research, then you'll enjoy this book. My only qualm about the text is a limited number of examples from actual historical sources. But since this is a book about deconstruction and not a advocate of it per se, it can be excused. In fact it shows something I believe to be a problem with postmodernism, and any all encompassing theory, the fact that it generalizes the subject and can never hope to cover all the information it professes to explain within a narrow guideline.

Reading "Deconstructing History" is an eye opener, to say the least. Much of what the author explains is interesting in a theoretic sense but I believe deals more with social and cultural history than other historical sub groups. Focusing on Michel Foucault and Hayden White in the closing chapters give a somewhat radical view of what postmodernism is capable of if taken to an extreme. Multiple narratives of the same subject is an interesting insight, and occurs on a regular basis within history, but there are those events (Holocaust) which can only be represented as one type of narrative, tragic. It would have been interesting to see if the author could settle or tackle the age old question of "Is art an imitation of life or vice versa?" Since it seems this goes to the heart of White's argument. Comparing history to fiction - since it supposedly follows the same guidelines - does not tell us if fiction takes up after history or history after fiction.

I won't assume to do justice to all this book encompasses, I can readily admit that some of the points I'm still not sure about and struggle with even after rereading the text a few times. But, if you have an interest in what postmodernism entails, can handle the jargon of historiography (there's a glossary in the back that's quite helpful) then this is a valuable investment.