Thomas V. Cohen

Thomas Vance Cohen (born December 19, 1942 in Norfolk ) is an American historian . He is Professor of History and Human Sciences at York University , Toronto. His areas of expertise include cultural anthropology and the Italian Renaissance in Italy with a particular focus on the city of Rome . His research interests include the interpretation of social symbols, languages ​​and narratives, as well as the study of ritual practices. He works with micro-historical approaches .

Work and reception

In his book Love and Death in Renaissance Italy , Cohen tells six different (micro) stories from Rome at the end of the 16th century. He makes use of cases from the Roman archives and reconstructs impressive episodes from the lives of lovers and murderers with the help of court minutes. According to Mary Hewlett of the University of Windsor , Cohen introduces the reader to unscrupulous characters, always carefully explaining their malevolent behavior in the context of their time. Through in-depth research into family alliances, he determines motifs for his protoganists and examines the nuances of their actions in minute detail.

With his book Roman Tales: A Reader's Guide to the Art of Microhistory , published in 2019, Cohen explores the social and cultural dimension of life in Rome during the Renaissance, while at the same time explaining the methodology and thinking behind microhistory. Cohen also used the microhistorical working method in other publications and underlines its importance on the website microhistory.eu:

“First, we microhistorians are more trained than most historians when it comes to the subtle analysis of certain clues. We thoroughly squeeze out our sources, we look for nuances, we carefully listen to the language, we crawl in and even behind our sources. Many historians do not research with the same keen curiosity as we do, as if the sources of whatever nature were simply telling the truth. Nuances, a keen sense of ambiguity, and healthy skepticism are central to our practices. These form the right patterns for intelligent reading and research, for all historians. "

("First, we microhistorians are far more skilled than most historians at subtle reading of evidence. We squeeze our sources hard, we read for nuance, we listen carefully to language, we crawl into and even behind our sources. Many historians read without our intense curiosity, as if the sources, whatever their nature, just plain speak truth. Nuance, a strong sense of ambiguity, and healthy skepticism are central to our practice; these are good models for intelligent reading and investigation, for all historians. ")

“Second, we microhistorians are anxious to depict the past in its entirety with all means at our disposal. With our passion for the short-lived and the small, we aim for a holistic approach and, within this limited framework, eagerly grasp every human feeling, every quality, every tone, every source. We have a keen eye for the environment to be explored. We offer an antidote to reductionism and short-sighted narratives. Macro historians fail to fulfill our obsession. But the model of a multifaceted view of the past is a valuable heuristic that can be used by macro-historical studies in order to be able to enjoy micro-moments. "

("Second, we microhistorians are very keen to assemble, as far as we are able, the entirety of past moments. In our passion for the brief and small, we aim for totality - every human sense, every quality, every tone, every source - within our finite scope and eager grasp. We have a keen eye for setting. We offer an antidote to reductionism and blinkered narrative. Macrohistorians could never follow our obsessions all the way; they would bog down hopelessly. But the model of a well -rounded picture of past moments is a precious heuristic and macro studies can employ, and enjoy rich micro-moments. ")

Fonts

• Love and Death in Renaissance Italy. University of Chicago Press, Chicago 2004, ISBN 978-0-226-11258-9 .
• Roman Tales. A Reader's Guide to the Art of Microhistory. Routledge, Abingdon-on-Thames 2019, ISBN 978-1-138-63693-4 .

Web links

• Literature by and about Thomas V. Cohen in the catalog of the German National Library
• Thomas V. Cohen at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies at York University, Toronto
• Thomas V. Cohen on the Microhistory Network

Individual evidence

1. ^ Review Love and Death , on Project MUSE.
2. ^ Mary SK Hewlett: Review of Love and Death in Renaissance Italy . In: Renaissance Quarterly . tape 58 , no. 3 , 2005, p. 912–913 (Project MUSE: muse.jhu.edu/article/234761 see itemization 1.).
3. ^ Roman Tales: A Reader's Guide to the Art of Microhistory , review on Routledge.
4. ↑ The larger uses of micro history , entry of Thomas V. Cohen on the side Microhistory Network.