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The editors of Rethinking History: The Journal of Theory and Practice would like to invite contributions to a series of article length features entitled ‘Reconsiderations’, ‘Concepts’, ‘Re-reviews’, ‘Controversies’ and ‘Experiments’. Each is intended to promote debate about the nature of our relationship with the past.
‘Reconsiderations’ reflect upon the oeuvre and scholarly contribution of a particular historian. Thus it might be timely to reconsider the work of contemporary historians/history theorists, or those who have themselves now become part of the past.
‘Concepts’ invites critical examinations and significant reflections upon any of the key concepts deployed by historians - for example - ‘agency and/or structure’, ‘biography’, ‘truth’, ‘objectivity’, ‘sources’, ‘the historical imagination’, etc.
Given the often-claimed state of epistemological uncertainty in which we now exist it may be useful to ‘Re-review’ key history texts. What is it that makes a particular history text (broadly defined to include film, digitised representation, memorialisation, graphic novel, etc) resonate among historians?
Supervening ‘historian’s debates’ are fundamental 'Controversies' - arguments over the nature and social purpose of the discipline itself. Unavoidably such debates encompass disputes over epistemology more than methodology, and will address the ontology of textual (or other forms of) representation rather than fresh discoveries in the archive - fascinating though they may be).
‘Experiments’ constitute any any form of history that releases the historical imagination and which contributes to either the theorisation or practice of history in novel and unconventional ways. Thus, assuming traditional history narrative is dead, we must now be interested in new, exciting, and experimental ways of writing the past?
Expressions of interest, ideas, requests for clarifications and contributions should be directed to any of the editors.
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