Moved by the Past

Discontinuity and Historical Mutation

Nonfiction, History, Reference, Historiography, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy
Cover of the book Moved by the Past by Eelco Runia, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Eelco Runia ISBN: 9780231537575
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: May 6, 2014
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Eelco Runia
ISBN: 9780231537575
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: May 6, 2014
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

Historians go to great lengths to avoid confronting discontinuity, searching for explanations as to why such events as the fall of the Berlin Wall, George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq, and the introduction of the euro logically develop from what came before. Moved by the Past radically breaks with this tradition of predating the past, incites us to fully acknowledge the discontinuous nature of discontinuities, and proposes to use the fact that history is propelled by unforeseeable leaps and bounds as a starting point for a truly evolutionary conception of history.

Integrating research from a variety of disciplines, Eelco Runia identifies two modes of being "moved by the past": regressive and revolutionary. In the regressive mode, the past may either overwhelm us—as in nostalgia—or provoke us to act out what we believe to be solidly dead. When we are moved by the past in a revolutionary sense, we may be said to embody history: we burn our bridges behind us and create accomplished facts we have no choice but to live up to. In the final thesis of Moved by the Past, humans energize their own evolution by habitually creating situations ("catastrophes" or sublime historical events) that put a premium on mutations. This book therefore illuminates how every now and then we chase ourselves away from what we were and force ourselves to become what we are. Proposing a simple yet radical change in perspective, Runia profoundly reorients how we think and theorize about history.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Historians go to great lengths to avoid confronting discontinuity, searching for explanations as to why such events as the fall of the Berlin Wall, George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq, and the introduction of the euro logically develop from what came before. Moved by the Past radically breaks with this tradition of predating the past, incites us to fully acknowledge the discontinuous nature of discontinuities, and proposes to use the fact that history is propelled by unforeseeable leaps and bounds as a starting point for a truly evolutionary conception of history.

Integrating research from a variety of disciplines, Eelco Runia identifies two modes of being "moved by the past": regressive and revolutionary. In the regressive mode, the past may either overwhelm us—as in nostalgia—or provoke us to act out what we believe to be solidly dead. When we are moved by the past in a revolutionary sense, we may be said to embody history: we burn our bridges behind us and create accomplished facts we have no choice but to live up to. In the final thesis of Moved by the Past, humans energize their own evolution by habitually creating situations ("catastrophes" or sublime historical events) that put a premium on mutations. This book therefore illuminates how every now and then we chase ourselves away from what we were and force ourselves to become what we are. Proposing a simple yet radical change in perspective, Runia profoundly reorients how we think and theorize about history.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book The Columbia Guide to Central African Literature in English Since 1945 by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book What Does Europe Want? by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Constructing Public Opinion by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Economic Governance in the Age of Globalization by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Berkshire Beyond Buffett by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book In Their Own Voices by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Sex Trafficking by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book The Return of Work in Critical Theory by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Investing: The Last Liberal Art by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Masks of Conquest by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book The Man Who Built the Sierra Club by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book The Lives of Sri Aurobindo by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Sakuntala by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Contemporary Romanian Cinema by Eelco Runia
Cover of the book Afterness by Eelco Runia
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy