Social history: Difference between revisions

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see [[Annales School]]
see [[Annales School]]
===Germany===
===Germany===
Social history developed within West German historiography during the 1950's-60's as the successor to the national history discredited by [[National Socialism]].  The German brand of "history of society" - ''Gesellschaftsgeschichte'' - has been known from its beginning in the 1960s for its application of sociological and political modernization theories to German history. Modernization theory was presented by Hans-Ulrich Wehter (1931- ) in particular as the way to transform "traditional" German history, that is, national political history, centered on a few "great men," into an integrated and comparative history of German society encompassing societal structures outside politics. Wehler drew upon the modernization theory of Max Weber, with concepts also from Karl Marx, Otto Hintze, Gustav Schmoller, Werner Sombart and Thorstein Veblen.<ref> Roger Fletcher,  "Recent Developments in West German Historiography: the Bielefeld School and its Critics." ''German Studies Review'' 1984 7(3): 451-480. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0149-7952(198410)7%3A3%3C451%3ARDIWGH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-E in Jstor]]</ref>
Social history developed within West German historiography during the 1950's-60's as the successor to the national history discredited by [[National Socialism]].  The German brand of "history of society" - ''Gesellschaftsgeschichte'' - has been known from its beginning in the 1960s for its application of sociological and political modernization theories to German history. Modernization theory was presented by [[Hans-Ulrich Wehler]] (1931- ) and his Bielefeld School as the way to transform "traditional" German history, that is, national political history, centered on a few "great men," into an integrated and comparative history of German society encompassing societal structures outside politics. Wehler drew upon the modernization theory of Max Weber, with concepts also from Karl Marx, Otto Hintze, Gustav Schmoller, Werner Sombart and Thorstein Veblen.<ref> Roger Fletcher,  "Recent Developments in West German Historiography: the Bielefeld School and its Critics." ''German Studies Review'' 1984 7(3): 451-480. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0149-7952(198410)7%3A3%3C451%3ARDIWGH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-E in Jstor]]</ref>  
 
Hans-Ulrich Wehler's ''Deutsche Gesellschaftsgeschichte,'' (1987- ) is a comprehensive 5-volume history of German society in the 18th-20th centuries. Each volume approaches historical processes from a social history perspective, organized under the themes of demographics, economics, and social equality.  His detailed structural analysis of developmental processes supported by a vast body of notes and statistics sometimes obscures the larger context. Nonetheless, patterns of continuity and change in the social fabric are emphasized.  More than a historiographical synthesis of Ranke and Marx (envisioned by some German historians after the catastrophe of World War I), Wehler's work incorporates [[Max Weber]]'s concepts of authority, economy, and culture and strives toward a concept of "total history."  Volumes 1-2 cover the period from feudalism through the Revolution of 1848.<ref>See Jonathan Sperber, "Master Narratives of Nineteenth-century German History." ''Central European History'' 1991 24(1): 69-91. Issn: 0008-9389 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]] and T. C. W. Blanning, "The French Revolution and the Modernization of Germany." ''Central European History'' 1989 22(2): 109-129. Issn: 0008-9389 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref> Volume 3 ''Von der "Deutschen Doppelrevolution" bis zum Beginn des Ersten Weltkrieges 1849-1914'' (1995) employs Wehler's longtime emphasis on a German Sonderweg or "special path" as the root of Nazism and the German catastrophe in the 20th century. Wehler places the origins of Germany's path to disaster in the 1860s-1870s, when economic modernization took place, but political modernization did not happen and the old Prussian rural elite remained in firm control of the army, diplomacy and the civil service.  Traditional, aristocratic, premodern society battled an emerging capitalist, bourgeois, modernizing society. Recognizing the importance of modernizing forces in industry and the economy and in the cultural realm, Wehler argues that reactionary traditionalism dominated the political hierarchy of power in Germany, as well as social mentalities and in class relations (Klassenhabitus).<ref> See Chris Lorenz, "Beyond Good and Evil? The German Empire of 1871 and Modern German Historiography." ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 1995 30(4): 729-765. [http://www.jstor.org/pss/261090 in Jstor] </ref>  Wehler's ''Deutsche Gesellschaftsgeschichte: Vom Beginn des Ersten Weltkrieges bis zur Gründung der Beiden Deutschen Staaten 1914-1949'' (2003) is the fourth volume of his monumental history of German society.  The catastrophic German politics between 1914 and 1945 are interpreted in terms of a delayed modernization of its political structures. At the core of Wehler's fourth volume is his treatment of "the middle class" and "revolution," each of which was instrumental in shaping the 20th century. Wehler's examination of Nazi rule is shaped by his concept of "charismatic domination," which focuses heavily on Adolf Hitler.  The fifth volume will extend to 1990; none of the series has yet been translated into English.<ref> A partial summary appears in Hans-Ulrich Wehler, ''The German Empire, 1871-1918'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/German-Empire-1871-1918-Hans-Ulrich-Wehler/dp/090758232X/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product excerpt and text search]; see also Hans-Ulrich Wehler, "A Guide to Future Research on the Kaiserreich?" ''Central European History'' 1996 29(4): 541-572. Issn: 0008-9389 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>


In the 1970s and early 1980s German historians of society, led by Wehler and Jürgen Kocka at the "Bielefeld school"  gained dominance in Germany by applying both modernization theories and social science methods. From the 1980s, however, they were increasingly criticized by proponents of the "cultural turn" for not incorporating culture in the history of society, for reducing politics to society, and for reducing individuals to structures. Historians of society inverted the traditional positions they criticized (on the model of Marx's inversion of Hegel). As a result, the problems pertaining to the positions criticized were not resolved but only turned on their heads. The traditional focus on individuals was inverted into a modern focus on structures, the traditional focus on culture was inverted into a modern focus on structures, and traditional emphatic understanding was inverted into modern causal explanation.<ref> Chris Lorenz, "'Won't You Tell Me, Where Have All the Good Times Gone'? On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Modernization Theory for History." ''Rethinking History'' 2006 10(2): 171-200. Issn: 1364-2529 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>
In the 1970s and early 1980s German historians of society, led by Wehler and Jürgen Kocka at the "Bielefeld school"  gained dominance in Germany by applying both modernization theories and social science methods. From the 1980s, however, they were increasingly criticized by proponents of the "cultural turn" for not incorporating culture in the history of society, for reducing politics to society, and for reducing individuals to structures. Historians of society inverted the traditional positions they criticized (on the model of Marx's inversion of Hegel). As a result, the problems pertaining to the positions criticized were not resolved but only turned on their heads. The traditional focus on individuals was inverted into a modern focus on structures, the traditional focus on culture was inverted into a modern focus on structures, and traditional emphatic understanding was inverted into modern causal explanation.<ref> Chris Lorenz, "'Won't You Tell Me, Where Have All the Good Times Gone'? On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Modernization Theory for History." ''Rethinking History'' 2006 10(2): 171-200. Issn: 1364-2529 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

Revision as of 01:32, 5 April 2008

Social History is a branch of History that includes history of ordinary people and their strategies of coping with life, history of social organization, and history of social movements and deliberate attempts to induce social change, whether from the top down or from the bottom up. It exploded on the scene in the 1960s, quickly becoming one of the dominant styles of historiography. The French version, promulgated by the Annales School influenced much of Europe and Latin America.

The study of the lives of ordinary people was revolutionized in the 1960s by the introduction of sophisticated quantitative and demographic methods, often using individual data from the census and from local registers of births, marriages, deaths and taxes, as well as theoretical models from sociology such as social mobility. The New Social History emerged in the 1960s to dominate professional scholarship in the U.S.

see also Social History, U.S..

There is no society for social history, but the field is covered in the Journal of Social History, edited since 1967 by Peter Stearns.[1] It covers such topics as gender relations; race in American history; the history of personal relationships; consumerism; sexuality; the social history of politics; crime and punishment, and history of the senses

Demographic history

Demographic history is the study of population history and demographic processes, usually using census or similar statistical data. It became an important specialty inside social history, with strong connections with the larger field of demography. See Demography, [U.S. Demographic Transition]] U.S. Demographic History, Fertility (demography), Mortality (demography), Infant mortality and Life expectancy

Ethnic history

Ethnic history covers the history of American ethnic groups (usually not including blacks). The Immigration and Ethnic History Society was formed in 1976 and publishes a journal for libraries and its 829 members.[2]

  • The American Conference for Irish Studies, founded in 1960, has 1,700 members and has occasional publications but no journal.[3]
  • The American Italian Historical Association was founded in 1966 and has 400 members; it does not publish a journal [4]
  • The American Jewish Historical Society is the oldest ethnic society, founded in 1892; it has 3,300 members and publishes American Jewish History[5]

African American history

African American history studies blacks in the United States. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History was founded by Carter G, Woodson in 1915 and has 2500 members and publishes the Journal of African American History; since 1926 it has sponsored Black History Month every Febriary.[6]

Labor history

Labor history, deals with labor unions and the social history of workers. See for example Labor Unions, U.S., History The Study Group on International Labor and Working-Class History was established: 1971 and has a membership of 1000. It publishes International Labor and Working-Class History.[7]

Women's history

Women's history exploded into prominence in the 1970s,[8] and is now well represeneted in every geographical topic; increasingly it includes gender history.[9]

Family history

Family history emerged as a separate field in the 1970s.[10]

France

see Annales School

Germany

Social history developed within West German historiography during the 1950's-60's as the successor to the national history discredited by National Socialism. The German brand of "history of society" - Gesellschaftsgeschichte - has been known from its beginning in the 1960s for its application of sociological and political modernization theories to German history. Modernization theory was presented by Hans-Ulrich Wehler (1931- ) and his Bielefeld School as the way to transform "traditional" German history, that is, national political history, centered on a few "great men," into an integrated and comparative history of German society encompassing societal structures outside politics. Wehler drew upon the modernization theory of Max Weber, with concepts also from Karl Marx, Otto Hintze, Gustav Schmoller, Werner Sombart and Thorstein Veblen.[11]

In the 1970s and early 1980s German historians of society, led by Wehler and Jürgen Kocka at the "Bielefeld school" gained dominance in Germany by applying both modernization theories and social science methods. From the 1980s, however, they were increasingly criticized by proponents of the "cultural turn" for not incorporating culture in the history of society, for reducing politics to society, and for reducing individuals to structures. Historians of society inverted the traditional positions they criticized (on the model of Marx's inversion of Hegel). As a result, the problems pertaining to the positions criticized were not resolved but only turned on their heads. The traditional focus on individuals was inverted into a modern focus on structures, the traditional focus on culture was inverted into a modern focus on structures, and traditional emphatic understanding was inverted into modern causal explanation.[12]


Bibliography

  • Cabrera, Miguel A. Postsocial History: An Introduction. (2004). 163 pp.
  • Cayton, Mary Kupiec, Elliott J. Gorn, and Peter W. Williams, eds. Encyclopedia of American Social History (3 vol 1993) 2653pp; long articles pages by leading scholars; see v I: Part II, Methods and Contexts, pp 235-434
  • Cross, Michael S. "Social History," Canadian Encyclopedia (2008) online
  • Cross, Michael S. and Kealey, Gregory S., eds. Readings in Canadian Social History (5 vol 1984). 243 pp.
  • Dewald, Jonathan. Lost Worlds: The Emergence of French Social History, 1815-1970. (2006). 241 pp.
  • Eley, Geoff. A Crooked Line: From Cultural History to the History of Society. (2005). 301 pp.
  • Fairburn, Miles. Social History: Problems, Strategies and Methods. (1999). 325 pp.
  • Fletcher, Roger. "Recent Developments in West German Historiography: the Bielefeld School and its Critics." German Studies Review 1984 7(3): 451-480. Issn: 0149-7952 Fulltext: in Jstor]
  • Henretta, James. "Social History as Lived and Written," American Historical Review 84 (1979): 1293-1323 in JSTOR
  • Kanner, Barbara. Women in English Social History, 1800-1914: A Guide to Research (2 vol 1988-1990). 871 pp.
  • Lloyd, Christopher. Explanation in Social History. (1986). 375 pp.
  • Palmer, Bryan D., and Todd McCallum, "Working-Class History" Canadian Encyclopedia (2008)
  • Pomeranz, Kenneth. "Social History and World History: from Daily Life to Patterns of Change." Journal of World History 2007 18(1): 69-98. Issn: 1045-6007 Fulltext: in History Cooperative and Project Muse
  • Stearns, Peter N. "Social History Today ... And Tomorrow," Journal of Social History 10 (1976): 129-155.
  • Stearns, Peter N. "Social History Present and Future." Journal of Social History. Volume: 37. Issue: 1. (2003). Page Number: 9+. online edition
  • Stearns, Peter, ed. Encyclopedia of Social History (1993) 856 pp.
  • Stearns, Peter, ed. Encyclopedia of European Social History from 1350 to 2000 (5 vol 2000), 209 essays by leading scholars in 3000 pp.
  • Sutherland, Neil. "Childhood, History of," Canadian Encyclopedia (2008)
  • Thompson, E. P. The Essential E. P. Thompson. (2001). 512 pp. highly influential British historian of the working class
  • Thompson, F. M. L., ed. The Cambridge Social History of Britain, 1750-1950." Vol. 1: Regions and Communities. Vol. 2: People and Their Environment; Vol. 3: Social Agencies and Institutions. (1990). 492 pp.
  • Tilly, Charles. "The Old New Social History and the New Old Social History," Journal of Social History 7 (1984): 363-406;
  • Timmins, Geoffrey. "The Future of Learning and Teaching in Social History: the Research Approach and Employability." Journal of Social History 2006 39(3): 829-842. Issn: 0022-4529 Fulltext: History Cooperative and Project Muse
  • Wilson, Adrian, ed. Rethinking Social History: English Society, 1570-1920 and Its Interpretation. (1993). 342 pp.
  • Zunz, Olivier, ed. Reliving the Past: The Worlds of Social History, (1985) online edition


Primary sources

  • Binder, Frederick M. and David M. Reimers, eds. The Way We Lived: Essays and Documents in American Social History. (2000). 313 pp.


See also

Online resources

notes

  1. ↑ See [1]
  2. ↑ See Immigration and Ethnic History Society
  3. ↑ See American Conference for Irish Studies
  4. ↑ See American Italian Historical Association
  5. ↑ See American Jewish Historical Society and journal
  6. ↑ See ASALH
  7. ↑ See Study Group on International Labor and Working-Class History
  8. ↑ See American Women's History: A Research Guide
  9. ↑ see Teresa A. Meade and Merry Wiesner-Hanks, eds. A Companion to Gender History (2006)
  10. ↑ see Journal of Family History, quarterly since 1976
  11. ↑ Roger Fletcher, "Recent Developments in West German Historiography: the Bielefeld School and its Critics." German Studies Review 1984 7(3): 451-480. in Jstor]
  12. ↑ Chris Lorenz, "'Won't You Tell Me, Where Have All the Good Times Gone'? On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Modernization Theory for History." Rethinking History 2006 10(2): 171-200. Issn: 1364-2529 Fulltext: Ebsco
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