Historical Controversies and Historians

Using a range of historical problems as case studies and the work of particular historians, this collection of essays introduces students to the nature of historical method and the realities of "doing" history.

For students new to the subject of history there are many books on the "theory" of writing history but fewer on how history is actually "practised". This work by a team of historians from the University of Sussex fills this gap. The first half of the book examines a number of notable controversies that have been, and still are, the subject of historical debate - for example, race in South Africa, the legacy of the French Resistance, the origins of the Welfare State. These illustrate the issues involved in "doing" history. The second half of the book focuses upon the historians themselves - such as Tawney, Carr, Buckhardt, Weber, Thompson - and demonstrates how the historian puts his/her own spin on historical interpretation. Together the study of controversies and historians shows with clarity the practical issues of historical method. "Historical Controversies and Historians" should be a useful primer for any student embarking on a course in history.