How to (Re)Write European History: History and Text Book Projects in Retrospect

Hardcover, 260 pages, NOT ex-library. Book is clean and bright with unmarked text, free of inscriptions and stamps, firmly bound. Gentle handling wear only. Issued without a dust jacket. -- European politicians, authors and historians analyze in this volume the potential scope for a history book written from a European point of view. The first stirrings and early initiatives that go back to the 1960s are considered as is the 'Europäisches Geschichtsbuch' by Frédéric Delouche and his team of authors (1998) and the problems in store for anyone who is attempting to sail the agitated waters of Europe's contemporary history. This stock taking forms the basis for an outline of concrete historiographical approaches that might well prove helpful for the actual realization of a history of Europe. Even though the national polyphony of controversial historical perceptions shows little sign of abating, the first rudiments of a diversified, complex approach to Europe's history, which will be integrative and non-exclusive in character, are becoming noticeable. What makes Europe fascinating is the heterogeneity of its national historical perceptions and cultures, which, their complexity notwithstanding, are increasingly gravitating towards shared key events in memory spaces that are themselves part of an overarching network. The question to which we need to find an answer is this: how can the heterogeneity of historical perceptions regarding basic historical key narratives since 1945 be organized in such a way that the required processes of reduction and focussing do not diminish the fascination of the respective differences? And as we unravel this particularly tricky knot, how can we make sure that these differences in the interpretation of the most important historical narratives are acceptable to the respective 'others'? -- Introduction: Negotiating History and the European Political Agenda / Oliver Rathkolb; Editorial: History, Stories, Snippets of Stories / Erhard Busek; A Political Agenda for European History in the 21" Century / Ján Figel; Writing a Handbook of European History / Hartmut Kaelble; Is a European Culture of Memory Conceivable? / Etienne François; European History: Still a Challenge / Attila Pok; Can a Canon of European Images Provide an Alternative? / Susanne Popp; A European History Textbook as an Opportunity / Andreja Valic; The Quest for a European History Textbook in the 1960s / Oliver Rathkolb; The Rise and Fall of History-of-Europe School Textbook Projects / Frédéric Delouche; The Joint History Project Books: An Alternative to National History? / Christina Koulouri; Intentions, Results and Reception of the "Youth and History" Project (1995) / Bodo von Borries; Speaking from experience: Austria's dialogues in bilateral historical commissions with Italy, Yugoslavia, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia / Arnold Suppan; Beyond National Narratives - a French-German Contribution to the Making of European History / Peter Geiss; EUSTORY: A Road Map to a European Perspective of History / Wolf Schmidt; Memory and History: A Challenge for Young Europeans Report about the 1989 - 'Images of change' competition organized by EUSTORY / Mirela-Luminita Murgescu; Teaching History for Reconciliation and Tolerance: Experience of the Council of Europe / Tatiana Minkina-Milko; List of Authors.…