How Jewish is Jewish History?

ROSMAN, Moshe

ISBN 10: 1904113346 / ISBN 13: 9781904113348

Editore: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, Oxford, 2007

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xii, 220 p. 24 cm. Burgundy cloth in mylar-covered dustjacket. Ex library with labels on lower spine and rear endpapers, ink stamps on text block edges and title. Jacket taped to book.

Codice articolo 137014

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: How Jewish is Jewish History?
• Editore: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, Oxford
• Data di pubblicazione: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1904113346
• ISBN 13: 9781904113348
• Rilegatura: Hardcover
• Condizione: ex library-good
• Condizione della sovraccoperta: Good
• Cataloghi dei venditori:
  • History

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

With great vigour and from the vantage point of long experience of writing and teaching Jewish history, Moshe Rosman treats the key questions that postmodernism raises for the writing of Jewish history.What is the relationship between Jewish culture and history and those of the non-Jews among whom Jews live? Can we-in the light of postmodernist thought-speak of a continuous, coherent Jewish People, with a distinct culture and history? What in fact is Jewish cultural history, and how can it be written? How does gender transform the Jewish historical narrative? How does Jewish history fit into the multicultural paradigm? Has Jewish history entered a postmodern phase? How can Jewish history utilize the methodologies of other disciplines to accomplish its task? All these are questions that Jewish historians need to think about if their work is to be taken seriously by mainstream historians and intellectuals, or indeed by educated Jews interested in understanding their own cultural and historical past. While engaging with the questions raised by postmodernists, the author adopts a critical stance towards their work. His basic claim is that it is possible to incorporate, judiciously, postmodern innovations into historical scholarship that is still based on documentary research and critical analysis. The resulting endeavor might be termed 'a reformed positivism'. Rosman presents a concentrated, coherent, cogent argument as to what considerations must be brought to bear on the writing of Jewish history today. By highlighting in one book the issues raised by postmodernism, How Jewish is Jewish History? provides those in the field with a foundation from which to discuss how it should be practiced in light of this generation's challenges. It is a valuable resource for students of Jewish history and historiography and a handy tool for scholars who must confront the issues aired here in their own more narrowly focused scholarly works.

Recensione

'Absolutely essential reading for any student thinking of writing a thesis or even a serious paper on Jewish history. It is a profound analysis of what the academic study of Jewish history is and what should be taken into consideration in setting out to do research in the field. Rosman asks penetrating questions regarding the possibility of objective study of Jewish history in the light of the issues raised by postmodernist thinking and he sensitively explores ways of dealing with these questions. He applies his wide and perceptive reading in general historiography to clarify the challenge of new modes of historical thought to students of Jewish history. His mastery of the Jewish past, especially but not only of Jewish life in eastern Europe, keeps the discussion from being purely theoretical . . . While Rosman deals with complex issues, his writing is lucid and his examples are fascinating. There is nothing like this book on the market and it is therefore a crucial introduction for students. While Rosman's examples are drawn from the context of Jewish history, the issues he raises apply to the historiography of other religious and cultural groups. Therefore, while this brilliant book should be required reading for all serious students of Jewish studies, it should be equally interesting to students of other traditions.' --Shaul Stampfer, Religious Studies Review

Cogently written, remarkably combining depth of analysis with clear, straightforward writing . . . Rosman has confronted the sharpest challenges for Jewish historiography laid down by contemporary modes of thinking. --Michael A. Meyer, Jewish Quarterly Review

Moshe Rosman is one of the few Jewish historians who can deal with the theoretical issues besetting Jewish historiography, particularly in the light of postmodernist thought. This book sets an agenda that will be discussed for many years hence. --Shmuel Feiner