Recent Themes on Historians and the Public: Historians in Conversation

by Donald A. Yerxa

Overview

Original discussions on the public role of history and historians from a pantheon of notable experts

Recent Themes on Historians and the Public represents some of the best recent writing on the public role of historians. These articles and interviews from Historically Speaking examine the relationship between historians and their audiences. Award-winning "popular historian" Adam Hochschild begins by discussing the relationship between popular and academic history. An all-star cast of historians and editors offer their responses, forming a fascinating extended conversation. This forum addresses questions such as what the public role of the historian should be and whether practicing history requires a license. In addition the book contains a candid exchange about the state of the history profession at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Designed to engage both students and general readers, Recent Themes on Historians and the Public illuminates the controversy over the role of historians in the public sphere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570038341
Publisher:	University of South Carolina Press
Publication date:	04/08/2009
Series:	Historians in Conversation Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Donald A. Yerxa is assistant director of the Historical Society and editor of Historically Speaking. A professor of history at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts, Yerxa is the author of The Burning of Falmouth, 1775 and Admirals and Empire: The United States Navy and the Caribbean, 1898–1945 and coauthor of Species of Origins: America's Search for a Creation Story.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Preface vii

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction: Historians' Audiences Donald A. Yerxa 1

Part 1 On Historians

The World War II Generation of Historians William Palmer 7

History's Past and Present Ellen Fitzpatrick 13

The Historian as VIP Daniel Snowman 20

Historians and the Public: Premature Obituraies, Abiding Laments Eric Arnesen 27

Part 2 On The American Historical Profession In The Twenty-First Century

The Future of the Profession Bruce Kuklick 41

Ain't It Awful? You Bet. It Always Is. Leo P. Ribuffo 46

Comment on Kuklick Marc Trachtenberg 54

Part 3 On Writing History For The General Public

The Perils and Pleasures of Going "Popular"; or, My Life as a Loser Maureen Ogle 61

Practicing History without a License Adam Hochschild 68

Response to Hochschild H. W. Brands 78

Response to Hochschild John Demos 81

Response to Hochschild Joseph J. Ellis 84

Response to Hochschild John Ferling 88

Response to Hochschild Felipe Fernández-Armesto 91

Response to Hochschild Thomas Fleming 94

Response to Hochschild: A Correspondence James Goodman Louis P. Masur 97

Response to Hochschild John Lukacs 103

Response to Hochschild Joyce Lee Malcolm 106

Response to Hochschild Wilfred M. McClay 108

Response to Hochschild Greg Neale 112

Response to Hochschild Joyce Seltzer 115

Response to Hochschild Barry Strauss 117

Response to Hochschild Derek Wilson 119

Response to Hochschild John Wilson 122

Response to Hochschild Jay Winik 124

A Reply Adam Hochschild 129

Further Readings 133

Contributors 135

Index 139