Theories and Narratives: Reflections on the Philosophy of HistoryAt a time when philosophy of history is decidedly out of fashion, Theories and Narratives explores the relationship between historical writing and theoretical understanding and seeks to establish the legitimate scope of large-scale theories to grasp historical processes as a whole. Pursuing this objective, Alex Callinicos critically confronts a number of leading attempts to reconceptualize the meaning of history, including Francis Fukuyama's rehabilitation of Hegel's philosophy of history and the postmodernist efforts of Hayden White and others to deny the existence of a past independent of our representations of it. In these cases philosophical arguments are pursued in tandem with discussions of historical interpretations or, respectively, Stalinism and the Holocaust. Leading theories of history--Marx's and Weber's--are then examined in the context of recent work by writers such as Michael Mann, W. G. Runciman, and Robert Brenner Finally, the politics of historical theory is explored in a discussion of Marxism's claims to be a universal theory of human progress. Contradicting current fashion, Callinicos rebuts the claims made by many postmodernists that Marxism is inherently Eurocentric in both its conceptual structures and its political practice. Marx's project of human emancipation, he concludes, still define our political horizons. Theories and Narratives will interest all readers for whom the role of history in the understanding of contemporary civilizations is an essential issue. |
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Theories and Narratives: Reflections on the Philosophy on History Alex Callinicos No preview available - 1995 |
Common terms and phrases
Althusser Analytical Philosophy Anderson argues Brenner Callinicos calls Cambridge capitalism capitalist century civilization claim Collingwood competition concept contemporary critical critique cultural Danto dialectic discussion domination economic empirical End of History Eurocentrism Europe example existence explanations fact feudal Fukuyama G. A. Cohen G. W. F. Hegel Giddens Harmondsworth historian historical discourse historical inquiry historical materialism historical process historical sociology historical writing historiography History London Holocaust human ibid idea intellectual interpretation involves irony kind knowledge Kojève Kojève's labour liberal logic Lyotard Mann Marx Marxism McCarney ment Metahistory military mode of production modern narrative nature Oxford particular past philosophy of history political Postmodernism precapitalist productive forces progress radical relations revolution role Runciman seeks sense social theory society Soviet Stalinism Strauss structure struggle teleological theoretical theorists theory of history Thucydides tion Toynbee tradition transformation truth W. G. Runciman Weberian Western White world history