Historians in Public: The Practice of American History, 1890-1970 - Softcover

Tyrrell, Ian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226821943 ISBN 13: 9780226821948

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2005

Synopsis

From lagging book sales and shrinking job prospects to concerns over the discipline's "narrowness," myriad factors have been cited by historians as evidence that their profession is in decline in America. Ian Tyrrell's Historians in Public shows that this perceived threat to history is recurrent, exaggerated, and often misunderstood. In fact, history has adapted to and influenced the American public more than people—and often historians—realize.

Tyrrell's elegant history of the practice of American history traces debates, beginning shortly after the profession's emergence in American academia, about history's role in school curricula. He also examines the use of historians in and by the government and whether historians should utilize mass media such as film and radio to influence the general public. As Historians in Public shows, the utility of history is a distinctive theme throughout the history of the discipline, as is the attempt to be responsive to public issues among pressure groups.

A superb examination of the practice of American history since the turn of the century, Historians in Public uncovers the often tangled ways history-makers make history-both as artisans and as actors.

About this title

About the Author

Ian Tyrrell is professor in the School of History at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He is the author of five previous books, including Sobering Up: From Temperance to Prohibition in Antebellum America.

From the Back Cover

From lagging book sales and shrinking job prospects to concerns over the discipline's "narrowness," myriad factors have been cited by historians as evidence that their profession is in decline in America. Ian Tyrrell's Historians in Public shows that this perceived threat to history is recurrent, exaggerated, and often misunderstood. In fact, history has adapted to and influenced the American public more than people--and often historians--realize.
Tyrrell's elegant chronicle of the practice of American history traces debates, beginning shortly after the profession's emergence in American academia, about the discipline's public utility. He treats the perils of specialization, historians' responses to changes in the public's reading and writing of history, and their roles in school curricula. He also examines the use of historians in and by government and whether historians should utilize mass media such as film and radio to influence the general public. As Historians in Public shows, the utility of history is a distinctive theme throughout the history of the discipline, as is the attempt to be responsive to public issues among pressure groups.
A superb examination of the practice of American history since the turn of the century, Historians in Public uncovers the often tangled ways history-makers make history--both as artisans and as actors.

From the Inside Flap

From lagging book sales and shrinking job prospects to concerns over the discipline&;s &;narrowness,&; myriad factors have been cited by historians as evidence that their profession is in decline in America. Ian Tyrrell&;s Historians in Public shows that this perceived threat to history is recurrent, exaggerated, and often misunderstood. In fact, history has adapted to and influenced the American public more than people&;and often historians&;realize.
Tyrrell&;s elegant chronicle of the practice of American history traces debates, beginning shortly after the profession&;s emergence in American academia, about the discipline&;s public utility. He treats the perils of specialization, historians&; responses to changes in the public&;s reading and writing of history, and their roles in school curricula. He also examines the use of historians in and by government and whether historians should utilize mass media such as film and radio to influence the general public. As Historians in Public shows, the utility of history is a distinctive theme throughout the history of the discipline, as is the attempt to be responsive to public issues among pressure groups.
A superb examination of the practice of American history since the turn of the century, Historians in Public uncovers the often tangled ways history-makers make history&;both as artisans and as actors.
 

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226821943
• ISBN 13: 9780226821948
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 360