Histoire croisée

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The Histoire croisée (entanglement history) was developed by Bénédicte Zimmermann and Michael Werner (at EHESS in Paris ). It is an approach to multi-perspective historiography of transnational history , which was inspired by the French social sciences , and is based on the criticism of comparative and transfer-oriented approaches. Because these reproduced an a priori cut of their research objects. This creates conflicts with comparative trends in transnational historiography. As with all forms of global history or other multi- perspective historical concepts, the aim is to overcome the limitation of the perspective to the nation state (as in national history ).

Both authors define their model as an entangled history that focuses on the mutual transfers of two or more objects of comparison (e.g. nations, civilizations, regions, etc.) in order to examine the historical process character of mutual influences and mechanisms of reception . In contrast to comparison and transfer analysis, this approach is based on an analysis process from several perspectives, with the help of which distortions and misalignments in the acquisition of historiographic knowledge can be avoided. The method is intended to replace the singular observation point traditionally customary in comparative literature , which carries the risk of producing one-sided results. By looking at a problem from different perspectives, reliable interpretations and findings should now be obtained that do justice to the mutual relationship of the given objects of investigation.

On the one hand, the asymmetries of the respective comparison cases should be made clearer, since a “ dynamic difference ” of the points of view emerges from their crosswise comparison . On the other hand, the process of interweaving tries to overcome the lack of complete objectivity on the part of the scientist, which can hardly be avoided in the social and cultural sciences . According to Werner and Zimmermann, the plurality of observation points automatically creates a moment of reflexivity that guarantees the historian's methodical accuracy through the constant change of perspectives: “A reflective explanatory context arises in which one's own position is systematically questioned and corrected depending on the constellation becomes."

See also

literature

  • Michael Werner and Bénédicte Zimmermann: comparison, transfer, integration. The approach of the Histoire croisée and the challenge of the transnational . In: History and Society . Volume 28, 2002, pp. 607-636.
  • Michael Werner and Bénédicte Zimmermann (eds.): De la comparaison à l'histoire croisée . Seuil (Le Genre humain 42), Paris, 2004, pp. 15-49.
  • Michael Werner and Bénédicte Zimmermann: Beyond Comparison. Histoire Croisée and the Challenge of Reflexivity . In: History and Theory . Volume 45, 2006, pp. 30-50.

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