THEORIES AND NARRATIVES: REFLECTIONS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY

Book Details

• Author: Alex Callinicos

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• ISBN: 9788131611357

• Pages: 268

• Binding: Hardcover

About the Book

Theories and Narratives is an insightful exploration of the relationship between social theory and historical writing. Its primary aim is to establish the crucial contribution that theory can make to our understanding of the past. In this thought-provoking work, Alex Callinicos critically engages with some of the leading attempts to reconceptualize the meaning of history, addressing key debates in the field.

Callinicos challenges influential philosophical arguments, including Francis Fukuyama’s rehabilitation of Hegel’s philosophy of history and the postmodernist arguments of Hayden White and others who deny the existence of a past independent of our representations of it. Through this, he highlights key historical events such as Stalinism and the Holocaust, providing critical analysis of how historical narratives are shaped by different philosophical positions.

The book goes on to critically compare the leading theories of history by Marx and Weber, using the work of modern scholars like Michael Mann, W.G. Runciman, and Robert Brenner as a framework. Callinicos tackles the complex politics of historical theory, offering a detailed analysis of Marxism's claim to be a universal theory of human progress. Swimming against contemporary trends, he responds to the postmodern critique of Marxism as Eurocentric, asserting that Marx’s project of human emancipation continues to define our political horizons today.

This book is a critical and comprehensive study that will appeal to students and scholars of history, philosophy, and social theory, offering both a deep theoretical analysis and a broader look at the political implications of historical thought.