Review by Choice Review
Scholars have long argued whether history is an art or a science. Roehner (Univ. of Paris) and Syme (Oxford Univ.) firmly believe that while traditional history has not been truly scientific, it can be, if the proper techniques are applied. They contend that human history is full of patterns--regular and uniform occurrences or episodes that historians need to identify and explain. Such explanations can be conceptualized as "repertoire"--the limited options for collective behavior that exist in most social situations throughout history. The authors call on historians to engage in comparative and analytical history that identifies similar episodes from various times and places and breaks them down into smaller modules that can be meaningfully compared, e.g., aspects of the invasions of Russia by Charles XII, Napoleon, and Hitler. Such comparisons would reveal that historical events are more regular and predictable and less unusual than has been commonly thought. Various chapters on wars, revolutions, and strikes present applications of this sort of analytical history. In this complex book that is almost certain to attract ardent detractors and defenders, Roehner and Syme also speculate on the possibilities and limitations of analytical history as a tool for forecasting. Graduate students and faculty. R. Fritze University of Central Arkansas
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
