Deconstructing History

Few historians now maintain that they write "the" truth about the past. Deconstructive readings of history and sources have changed the entire discipline of history. In this text the author examines history in the postmodern age. He provides an introduction to the debates and issues of postmodernist history. He also surveys the latest research into the relationship between the past, history and historical practice as well as forwarding his own challenging theories. The author details issues of both empiricist and deconstructionist positions and considers the arguments of major proponents of both stances. The text includes: an examination of the character of historical evidence; exploration of the role of historians; discussion of the failure of traditional historical methods; chapters on Hayden White and Michel Foucault; and an evaluation of the importance of historical narrative.