1. Session 6 Historiography

2. What is historiography? The term ‘historiography’ refers to two the study of history itself. It involves the critical examination of what evidence an historian collects, and how they interpret and analyse it to construct argument and form conclusions. It involves looking at the ‘end product’: the theories and arguments posed by historians to ‘explain’ key events, ideas and people.

3. Different Perspectives It may seem as if historical events happen for clear and specific reasons, but for almost every event or situation there are several different ways that it can be explained. Activity: Write 50 words about Christmas Day 2013 Compare with a neighbour Was your experience different to theirs? Explain why. What evidence did you use in your explanation? Is it reliable? There are no right or wrong answers in history – only well-constructed arguments based on evidence.

4. Interpretation Historians often disagree about the meaning of events. They develop their own interpretations about events. As Adcock (2013, pp. 60-61) put it: ‘... While the events of the French Revolution have not changed since they occurred, the interpretation has varied dramatically from historian to historian.’ Why?

6. Why do I have to know about historiography? You will be asked to ‘evaluate the views of others’ in two questions in the exam: Section A, question 3 (d) – France AOS2 Section B, question 1 (d) – China AOS1 You need to be able to: Refer to specific historians and compare their interpretations of events Link historians’ interpretations to the question asked Incorporate relevant short quotes

7. Key historical debates in the historiography of the French Revolution Was the French Revolution a positive or a negative event? Why have certain impressions prevailed about it? Was the revolution caused by a corrupt, deteriorating society? Or excessive change, modernisation and progress? Was the French Revolution of 1789 a popular uprising of the people? Or a power shift to the minority bourgeoisie? What were the motives and the role of the sans culottes in creating, influencing and consolidating revolutionary change? Was the Terror a legitimate protection of the revolution? Or just a traitorous diversion into self-serving dictatorship? How have perspectives and interpretations of the French Revolution changed over time?

8. Key schools of thought and historians of the French Revolution Source: Adcock, 2009, pp. 223-227 Activity: Groups divided into Marxists, Revisionists and post-1990 Revisionists Read relevant pages of Adcock, pp. 223-227 Answer these questions: What theory underlies the school of thought? Who were/are these historians and when were they active? Did the historians working within a particular school of thought agree with one another? Post summary to Facebook

9. The impact of the Philosophes – an example of an historiographical debate The question of the impact of the Enlightenment on creating a revolutionary situation has been widely debated by historians. Key question: Was the work of the philosophes a contributing factor in the outburst of revolutionary energy of 1788 and 1789?

10. Week 3, activity 3 – course book, pp. 3.11-3.12 3 (a) What are Rudé’s main arguments regarding the groundwork for revolutionary opinion developing in France? 3 (b) What are the main differences between Rudé, Soboul and Lefebvre (collectively known as the Marxist historians) and William Doyle?