Marxist Historiography Today

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Hobsbawm
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Human Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Methodology Of Science ◽  
The Way

This chapter discusses Marxist historiography in the present times. In the interpretation of the world nowadays, there has been a rise in the so-called anti-Rankean reaction in history, of which Marxism is an important but not always fully acknowledged element. This movement challenged the positivist belief that the objective structure of reality was self-explanatory, and that all that was needed was to apply the methodology of science to it and explain why things happened the way they did. This movement also brought together history with the social sciences, therefore turning it into part of a generalizing discipline capable of explaining transformations of human society in the course of its past. This new perspective on the past is a return to ‘total history’, in which the focus is not merely on the ‘history of everything’ but history as an indivisible web wherein all human activities are interconnected.

The Problem

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Alvesson ◽  
Yiannis Gabriel ◽  
Roland Paulsen
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Prestigious Journal ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
History Of ◽  
Wide Gap

This chapter introduces ‘the problem’ of meaningless research in the social sciences. Over the past twenty years there has been an enormous growth in research publications, but never before in the history of humanity have so many social scientists written so much to so little effect. Academic research in the social sciences is often inward looking, addressed to small tribes of fellow researchers, and its purpose in what is increasingly a game is that of getting published in a prestigious journal. A wide gap has emerged between the esoteric concerns of social science researchers and the pressing issues facing today’s societies. The chapter critiques the inaccessibility of the language used by academic researchers, and the formulaic qualities of most research papers, fostered by the demands of the publishing game. It calls for a radical move from research for the sake of publishing to research that has something meaningful to say.

Benson and Miller in Perspective

1979 ◽  
Vol 3 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 242-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Kuklick
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Applied Science ◽  
The Other ◽  
Social Knowledge ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The One ◽  
Stock Of Knowledge

Despite differences in coloration Miller and Benson are birds of a feather. Although he is no Pollyanna, Miller believes that there has been a modest and decent series of advances in the social sciences and that the most conscientious, diligent, and intelligent researchers will continue to add to this stock of knowledge. Benson is much more pessimistic about the achievements of yesterday and today but, in turn, offers us the hope of a far brighter tomorrow. Miller explains Benson’s hyperbolic views about the past and future by distinguishing between pure and applied science and by pointing out Benson’s naivete about politics: the itch to understand the world is different from the one to make it better; and, Miller says, because Benson sees that we have not made things better, he should not assume we do not know more about them; Benson ought to realize, Miller adds, that the way politicians translate basic social knowledge into social policy need not bring about rational or desirable results. On the other side, Benson sees more clearly than Miller that the development of science has always been intimately intertwined with the control of the environment and the amelioration of the human estate.

Book Reviews: Studies in Sociology, Race Mixture, Hunger and Work in a Savage Tribe, Interpretations, 1931–1932, Faith, Hope and Charity in Primitive Religion, Genetic Principles in Medicine and Social Science, The Reorganisation of Education in China, Social Decay and Eugenical Reform, The Social and Political Ideas of Some Representative Thinkers of the Revolutionary Era, L. T. Hobhouse, His Life and Work, Corner of England, World Agriculture—An International Study, Small-Town Stuff, Methods of Social Study, Does History Repeat Itself? The New Morality, Culture and Progress, Language and Languages: An Introduction to Linguistics, The Theory of Wages, The Santa Clara Valley, California, Social Psychology, A History of Fire and Flame, Sin and New Psychology, Sociology and Education, Mental Subnormality and the Local Community: Am Outline or a Practical Program, Tyneside Council op Social Service, Reconstruction and Education in Rural India, The Contribution of the English Le Play School to Rural Sociology, Kagami Kenkyu Hokoku, President's, Pioneer Settlement: Co-Operative Studies, Birth Control and Public Health, Pioneer Settlement: Co-Operative Studies, Ourselves and the World: The Making of an American Citizen, The Emergence of the Social Sciences from Moral Philosophy, The Comparable Interests of the Old Moral Philosophy and the Modern Social Sciences, The World in Agony, Sheffield Social Survey Committee, Housing Problems in Liverpool, Council for the Preservation of Rural England, Forest Land Use in Wisconsin, The Growth Cycle of the Farm Family, The Farmer's Guide to Agricultural Research in 1931, A History of the Public Library Movement in Great Britain and Ireland, The Retirement of National Debts, Public and Private Operation of Railways in Brazil, The Indian Minorities Problem, The Meaning of the Manchurian Crisis, The Drama of the Kingdom, Social Psychology, Competition in the American Tobacco Industry, New York School Centers and Their Community Policy, Desertion of Alabama Troops from the Confederate Army, Plans for City Police Jails and Village Lockups

1933 ◽  
Vol a25 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-109
Author(s):  
R. R. Marbtt ◽  
E. E. Evans-Pritchard ◽  
E. O. Jambs ◽  
Florence Ayscough ◽  
C. H. Desch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Social Psychology ◽  
Moral Philosophy ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Pioneer Settlement

Futures Honed

Futures ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 118-134
Author(s):  
Barbara Adam
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Original Work ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
The Past ◽  
Writing Theory ◽  
Time Space ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Verse Form ◽  
The Way

This chapter comprises an interview between Barbara Adam and the editors, and is followed by Adam’s ‘Honing Futures’, which is presented in four short verses of distilled theory. In the interview Adam reflects on thirty-five years of futures-thinking rooted in her deeply original work on time and temporality, and her innovative response to qualitative and linear definitions of time within the social sciences. The interview continues with a discussion of the way Adam’s thinking on futures intersects in her work with ideas of ethics and collective responsibility politics and concludes with a brief rationale for writing theory in verse form. In ‘Honing Futures’, a piece of futures theory verse form, Adam charts the movements and moments in considerations of the Not Yet and futurity’s active creation: from pluralized imaginings of the future, to an increasingly tangible and narrower anticipated future, to future-making as designing and reality-creating performance. Collectively, the verses identify the varied complex interdependencies of time, space, and matter with the past and future in all iterations of honing and making futures.

The World the Bedouin Lived in: Climate, Migration and Politics in the Early Modern Arab East

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 21-55
Author(s):  
Astrid Meier ◽  
Tariq Tell
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Environmental History ◽  
The Past ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Marginal Zones

Environmental history provides a perspective from which we can deepen our understanding of the past because it examines the relationships of people with their material surroundings and the effects of those relationships on the individual as well as the societal level. It is a perspective that holds particular promise for the social and political history of arid and marginal zones, as it contributes to our understanding of the reason some groups are more successful than others in coping with the same environmental stresses. Historians working on the early modern Arab East have only recently engaged with the lively field of global environmental history. After presenting a brief overview of some strands of this research, this article illustrates the potential of this approach by looking closely at a series of conflicts involving Bedouin and other power groups in the southern parts of Bilād al-Shām around the middle of the eighteenth century.

scholarly journals SIRAH DALAM MENEGAK PERUBAHAN SOSIAL MENGIKUT PANDANGAN SYEIKH SAID RAMADAN AL-BUTI

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Nurul Salsabila Abu Bakar ◽  
Mohd Nazri Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Western Civilization ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Western Civilization ◽  
Islamic Society

The life of  Prophet Muhammad/ Sirah Rasullullah, SAW, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is one of the written works of scholars to be featured as having played a major role in developing da'wah and Islamic Shari'ahs around the world from the past. The bond between Moslems and the prophet is strong so the Moslems can use sirah as a reference to strengthen faith, morals, foster the struggle of Islam and encourage the Muslim to hold on to the truth.  This study will highlight the role of the sirah in strengthening the social aspect of society and this will be seen based on the views of Sheikh Ramadan al-Buti. Content analysis is  used to analyze Fiqh as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah. The data was analysed descriptively and explanatory. The findings show that the need for a sirah approach in the social aspect is high for the good of  social aspect itself. However, Syeikh Ramadan al-Buti has opened the opportunity so that the aspects of the sirah is applied to the social change of the Islamic society from time to time. The implications of the study show that the Prophet's sirah/life has succeeded in forming a good Islamic Government over the history of Western civilization. Sirah Rasulullah SAW merupakan salah satu karya penulisan ulama perlu diketengahkan kerana telah memainkan peranan yang besar dalam mengembangkan dakwah dan syariat Islam diseluruh dunia sejak dahulu lagi. Mempelajari sirah Nabi ini bukanlah semata-mata untuk mengetahui peristiwa menarik dan aneh yang berlaku di zaman Nabi SAW.Pengkajian sirah ini juga bukan sekadar ingin mengetahui peristiwa-peristiwa yang telah melakar sejarah sebagaimana kajian-kajian sejarah yang lain sebagai contoh sejarah hidup seorang khalifah atau sejarah tamadun yang silam. Sirah juga bukanlah sekadar satu kisah yang dibaca pada hari keputeraan baginda SAW sahaja. Apa yang lebih besar sebenarnya adalah ikatan seseorang Muslim dengan Rasulnya sehinggakan pada akhirnya Muslim itu berjaya menjadikan sirah sebagai sesuatu yang dapat menambahkan iman, memperelok akhlak, menyemarakkan perjuangan Islam serta dapat mendorong Muslim itu untuk terus berpegang dengan kebenaran dan seterusnya istiqamah kepadanya. Kajian ini akan mengetengahkan peranan sirah dalam mengukuhkan aspek sosial masyarakat dan perkara ini akan dilihat berdasarkan kepada pandangan Syeikh Ramadan al-Buti. Kaedah analisis kandungan akan digunakan dalam mengkaji kitab Fiqh as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah bagi mendapatkan data. Data tersebut akan dianalisis secara deskriptif dan eksplanatori. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa keperluan pendekatan sirah dalam aspek sosial adalah tinggi bagi membentuk aspek sosial yang baik itu sendiri. Walau bagaimanapun, Syeikh Ramadan al-Buti telah membuka ruang sepenuhnya supaya aspek sirah diaplikasikan kedalam perubahan sosial masyarakat islam dari masa ke semasa. Implikasi kajian menunjukkan bahawa sirah Rasulullah telah berjaya membentuk satu Kerajaan Islam yang baik berbanding sejarah tamadun Barat yang musnah ekoran tiada sisa-sisa kemanusiaan yang dihidupkan.

scholarly journals Past and present currents of sociology: 70 years of Current Sociology

2022 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-133
Author(s):  
Zarine L. Rocha
Keyword(s):  
Review Paper ◽  
70Th Anniversary ◽  
Short Overview ◽  
The Past ◽  
International Sociological Association ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Global Sociology ◽  
Sociology Journals

This review paper marks the 70th anniversary of Current Sociology, the first journal founded by the International Sociological Association (ISA). The past seven decades have been a time of immense change within sociology and around the world, and the shifts within the structure and content of the journal mirror these transformations. Current Sociology today is a vastly different publication to the bibliography focused journal of 1952, and remains one of the top global sociology journals, and a proudly international publication. This short overview traces the history of Current Sociology across the decades, highlighting the work of the editors in guiding the development of the journal, and providing a glimpse into the development of the discipline, and the social developments of the past 70 years.

scholarly journals The past and future of the social sciences. A Schumpeterian theory of scientific development?

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 1701-1722
Author(s):  
Stefano Lucarelli ◽  
Alfonso Giuliani ◽  
Hervé Baron
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Scientific Development ◽  
The Past ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Social ◽  
Japanese Scholar ◽  
History Of ◽  
Key Questions

AbstractThe paper argues that Vergangenheit und Zukunft der Sozialwissenschaften (The Past and Future of the Social Sciences), a contribution not always well understood in the literature, is important to an understanding of Schumpeter’s concept of development as applied to the field of the social sciences. To this end, it addresses three key questions. First, can the book be taken as a starting point to reconstruct a Schumpeterian theory of scientific development? Second, is Vergangenheit und Zukunft merely ‘a brief outline of what first became the Epochen [der Dogmen- und Methodengeschichte] and finally the History of Economic Analysis’, as Elizabeth Boody Schumpeter wrote in her Editor’s Introduction (July 1952) to the latter work (p. XXXII), or should it be read as a complement to Epochen and perhaps the History? Third, is the eminent Japanese scholar Shionoya right to claim that Schumpeter’s work pursued the ambitious goal of developing a ‘comprehensive sociology’?

scholarly journals Drawing on the Past to Shape the Future of Synthetic Yeast Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7156
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Dixon ◽  
Isak S. Pretorius
Keyword(s):  
History Of Science ◽  
Human Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
Environmental Recovery ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
The World ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
History Of ◽  
Synthetic Genomics ◽  
Global Events

Some years inspire more hindsight reflection and future-gazing than others. This is even more so in 2020 with its evocation of perfect vision and the landmark ring to it. However, no futurist can reliably predict what the world will look like the next time that a year’s first two digits will match the second two digits—a numerical pattern that only occurs once in a century. As we leap into a new decade, amid uncertainties triggered by unforeseen global events—such as the outbreak of a worldwide pandemic, the accompanying economic hardship, and intensifying geopolitical tensions—it is important to note the blistering pace of 21st century technological developments indicate that while hindsight might be 20/20, foresight is 50/50. The history of science shows us that imaginative ideas, research excellence, and collaborative innovation can, for example, significantly contribute to the economic, cultural, social, and environmental recovery of a post-COVID-19 world. This article reflects on a history of yeast research to indicate the potential that arises from advances in science, and how this can contribute to the ongoing recovery and development of human society. Future breakthroughs in synthetic genomics are likely to unlock new avenues of impactful discoveries and solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauri L. Hyers
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Thick Description ◽  
Diary Data ◽  
Popular Medium ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Bear Witness

This introductory chapter discusses the history of the diary in popular culture and as a research method in the social sciences Over the last several centuries, diary keeping has evolved into a popular medium through which diarists can bear witness to their experiences and events of the world. The diary is a treasure trove, containing the riches of first-hand testimony on a wealth of subjects: from the adventures of travel to the despairs of prison, from the mundane ruminations of adolescence to the horrors of the battlefield. The embedded and contextualized nature of diary data appeals to those in the humanities and social sciences who are seeking the “thick description” that is the hallmark of qualitative research (Geertz, 2003).

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