Table Of ContentThe Pursuit of History
This classic introduction to the study of history invites the reader to stand back
and consider some of its most fundamental questions – what is the point of
studying history? How do we know about the past? Does an objective historical
truth exist and can we ever access it?
In answering these central questions, John Tosh argues that, despite the
impression of fragmentation created by postmodernism in recent years, history is
a coherent discipline which still bears the imprint of its nineteenth-century
origins. Consistently clear-sighted, he provides a lively and compelling guide to
a complex and sometimes controversial subject, while making his readers
vividly aware of just how far our historical knowledge is conditioned by the
character of the sources and the methods of the historians who work on them.
The sixth edition has been revised and updated with key new material
including:
• a brand new chapter on public history
• sections on digitized sources and historical controversy
• discussion of topics including transnational history and the nature of the
archive
• an expanded range of examples and case studies
• a comprehensive companion website (found at www.routledge.com/cw/tosh)
providing valuable supporting material, study questions and a bank of primary
sources.
Lucid and engaging, this edition retains all the user-friendly features that have
helped to make this book a favourite with both students and lecturers, including
marginal glosses, illustrations and suggestions for further reading. Along with its
companion website, this is an essential guide to the theory and practice of
history.
John Tosh is Professor of History at the University of Roehampton, Visiting
Professor at Birkbeck University of London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical
Society. He is the author of several works on historiography, notably Why
History Matters (2008) and Historians on History (2nd edn, 2009).
Praise for this edition:
“This exceptionally insightful book makes the study of history a joy to read. Tosh maps
out the major questions and developments in historiography with extraordinary clarity,
guiding the reader on debates and methods of research in concise and informative ways.
His continued attention to up–dating the book without doubt makes it a critical text for
undergraduates and an essential resource for postgraduates and scholars.”
Catherine Dewhirst, University of Southern Queensland, Australia
“John Tosh’s book is the most useful introduction to recent historiography now available.
It surveys major trends and achievements more clearly and concisely than its main
competitors, and is an excellent and easy resource for contextualising other historical
writings of all kinds. It can add a great deal to students’ understanding of historical
writing.”
Nicholas Karn, University of Southampton, UK
“The Pursuit of History has many strengths. It is extremely well–written and lucid. It
strikes a very nice balance between tracing historiography, delineating historical
methodology, and discussing the major historiographical developments over the last few
decades. Comprehensive, insightful and conversant with the latest historiographical
currents, it is essential reading in any undergraduate or graduate theory and method
course.”
Thomas W. Gallant, University of California, San Diego, USA
“John Tosh’s Pursuit of History was so far ahead of the game on its first publication that
much of the profession are only just now catching up with his wonderfully diverse and
pluralistic approach to the study of the past. This new edition promises to equip and
inspire the next generations of historians once again very much for the better.”
Richard Sheldon, University of Bristol, UK
“Tosh’s Pursuit of History, in its newest edition, remains the definitive introduction to
historical criticism and historiography. Well–structured, up–to–date, highly readable and
drawing on a wealth of fascinating illustrative material from the author’s own research, it
stands out as the best text combining fundamental method with key theoretical
approaches and research trends.”
William L. Chew III, Vesalius College, Brussels, Belgium
“The sixth edition of John Tosh’s The Pursuit of History is a clearly written, informative
and absorbing introduction to the practice of ‘doing’ history. While retaining the most
useful features of earlier editions of the book, this latest edition introduces new, valuable
material on public history, digitised sources, historical controversies, transnational history
and the nature of the archive. It includes an expanded range of examples and case–
studies, including additional material on American history, along with an updated
reference list, making it an invaluable text for both tutors and students of history alike.”
Robert James, University of Portsmouth, UK
Praise for previous editions:
“An excellent introduction to methodology in history which will be read with advantage
by historians at any stage of their development.”
History
“Tosh writes clearly and pungently… A very satisfactory as well as stimulating vade–
mecum for all who work at history.”
Times Higher Education Supplement
The Pursuit of History
Aims, methods and new directions in the study of history
SIXTH EDITION
John Tosh
Sixth edition published 2015
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2015 John Tosh
The right of John Tosh to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Pearson in 1984
Fifth edition published by Pearson in 2010
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-138-80807-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-80808-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-72813-1 (ebk)
For Nick and Will
Contents
List of images
Preface to the Sixth Edition
Acknowledgements
1 Historical awareness
2 The uses of history
3 Mapping the field
4 The raw materials
5 Using the sources
6 Writing and interpretation
7 The limits of historical knowledge
8 History and social theory
9 Cultural evidence and the cultural turn
10 Gender history and postcolonial history
11 Memory and the spoken word
12 History beyond academia
Conclusion
Index
Description:This classic introduction to the study of history invites the reader to stand back and consider some of its most fundamental questions - what is the point of studying history? How do we know about the past? Does an objective historical truth exist and can we ever access it? In answering these centra
