Overview

In this innovative collection of short essays, Historical Understanding explores the current shape of historical understanding today. Boasting a range of contributions from leading scholars, the volume focuses on the current shape of historical understanding, providing an overview of a variety of historical relations to the past, present, and future in the face of socio-political, ecological and technological upheavals. With the continued questioning of the relevance of historical understanding, this book provides a timely discussion of the philosophy of history in light of the current crisis of the humanities. As a compendium of expert views on the current shape of historical understanding, it examines relations to the past, present and future in human endeavors and various domains of human lives. Zoltán Boldizsár Simon and Lars Deile have assembled an international team of experts working on historical understanding and the challenges it has increasingly come to face. This book is organised around three central themes: relations to the past both in academic history and wider society; perceptions and pressing concerns for our present time and the question of presentism; and the prospect of history without a future and a future without history. This book is an invaluable research tool for students and researchers alike.