History And Nation

Why does history traditionally divide the past among national, continental, and oceanic lines? Understanding some of the methods historians have used to analyze the past, and understanding the particular relationship between "history" and "nation," seems crucial at this time of not only increasing globalization but also of fragmentation and of new notions of "nation building." Examining the role historians have played in these processes is also crucial at this time of changing boundaries within the historical profession itself. The essays in this volume reflect upon historians' considerations of the relationship between history and nation, and explore the ways in which early modern and modern historians have envisioned and theorized their own actions and impact. What are the conceptual tools historians use to investigate the history of nations? And what is the political and ideological content of these tools? What role does language play in historical and cultural understanding? And what force does translation exert on the status of historical evidence? History and Nation explores such questions in a new consideration of historiography and methodology at a time when the concepts of both "history" and "nation" are in transition. Julia Rudolph is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania.Rudolph, Julia is the author of 'History And Nation ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780838756409 and ISBN 0838756409.