1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910465503303321

Autore

Klein Kerwin Lee <1961->

Titolo

From history to theory [[electronic resource] /] / Kerwin Lee Klein

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Berkeley, : University of California Press, c2011

ISBN

1-283-27755-7

9786613277558

0-520-94829-7

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (225 p.)

Disciplina

901

Soggetti

Historiography - United States - Methodology

Historiography - United States - History

Linguistic change - United States - History

History

Religion

Discourse analysis

Social change - United States - History

Electronic books.

United States History Philosophy

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. The Rise and Fall of Historiography -- 2. From Philosophy to Theory -- 3. Going Native: History, Language, and Culture -- 4. Postmodernism and the People without History -- 5. On the Emergence of Memory in Historical Discourse -- 6. Remembrance and the Christian Right -- Afterword: History and Theory in Our Time -- Notes -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

From History to Theory describes major changes in the conceptual language of the humanities, particularly in the discourse of history. In seven beautifully written, closely related essays, Kerwin Lee Klein traces the development of academic vocabularies through the dynamically shifting cultural, political, and linguistic landscapes of the twentieth century. He considers the rise and fall of "philosophy of history" and discusses past attempts to imbue historical discourse with scientific



precision. He explores the development of the "meta-narrative" and the post-Marxist view of history and shows how the present resurgence of old words-such as "memory"-in new contexts is providing a way to address marginalized peoples. In analyzing linguistic changes in the North American academy, From History to Theory innovatively ties semantic shifts in academic discourse to key trends in American society, culture, and politics.