Introduction to Annales school of History Postmodernism

 

The word Annales basically means records or archives in French; which means recording past events. The word annals refers to three interlinked occurrences:-

1. A journal founded by Mark Bloch and Lucien Febvre.                                                                             2. A ‘school’ or network of French and French speaking historians.

3. A heterogeneous movement which under the inspiration of the same journal has renewed historiography.                                                                                                                                                                                     This covers economic and social aspects of history, focusing on quantative data mainly. However, this school of thought reformed, enhanced with time with contribution and adding of new scholars to it. Like Fernand Braudel brought methodological shift towards quantative history and long term studies, he shifted the focus of history from politics, diplomacy and wars with inquiries into climate, demography, agriculture, commerce, technology, transportation, social groups, mentalities and communication, study of ordinary people. So, with the advent of scholars at different time like Jacques Le Goff, Francois Furet etc. broadened the perspectives of Annales School or journal which over years expanded beyond borders of France. The Annales school covered all the aspects of society and history from socio-economic history, history of mentalities, historical anthropology etc. thus, these are the perspectives which annals school shows, through which history can be looked at and also these perspectives makes the borders of history wide and multidisciplinary, dealing with the aspects of society; emphasizing on ‘total history’.                                                                            

                                        Postmodernism is a 20th century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism or relativism. This term is usually ascribed to era said to follow after modernity & tendencies of this era. It focus on the role of ideology in maintaining political & economic power. This philosophy of postmodernism rejects objective natural reality, stating that there is nothing called truth. The postmodernists deny the objective of science and technology in development of society as they think that they are only destructive means. They even find logic and reason along with science and technology because of their use by evil people, tyrannical and exterminatory. They have this kind of thinking because this ideology formed after the World War II as they have witnessed the demerits of science and ideologies. Thus, the postmodernists believe the concepts only valid to be used with in the established intellectual traditions in which they are used. They also believe that human psychology is determined socially means any person develops any perspective in parallel to his/her current situations which further develops into an ideology. Moreover, postmodernists deny the existence of objectivity to understand reality. Postmodernism asks us to broaden our view towards past and emphasize on subjectivity in past. Michael Foucault is one of the famous name of postmodernist historian. postmodernists deny the existence of objectivity to understand reality. Postmodernism asks us to broaden our view towards past and emphasize on subjectivity in past. Michael Foucault is one of the famous name of postmodernist historian. postmodernists deny the existence of objectivity to understand reality. Postmodernism asks us to broaden our view towards past and emphasize on subjectivity in past. Michael Foucault is one of the famous name of postmodernist historian.


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