A History of Reviewing History Books: Post-publication "Peer Review", Historiography and its Publics, c.1700–c.2000.
Saved in:
| Title: | A History of Reviewing History Books: Post-publication "Peer Review", Historiography and its Publics, c.1700–c.2000. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Manning, David1,2 dm254@le.ac.uk |
| Source: | Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy. Dec2025, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p747-771. 25p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Historiography, *Professional peer review, *Scholarly peer review, *Learned institutions & societies, *Scholarly method, *Historical source material, Historical analysis, Power (Social sciences) |
| Abstract: | Rethinking book reviewing as a form of peer review refreshes our understanding of both activities, as well as the conceptual and historical interactions between the two. Moving beyond the usual reference points of the professionalisation and scientification of the discipline of history, this article takes a novel and dynamic approach to crafting an English/Anglophone history of reviewing history books. Working with a source base drawn from the Historical Journal, the English Historical Review, and the Times Literary Supplement, published reviews of academic history books can be seen to fulfil complex and important functions that readily transcend any suggestion that they merely service the needs of a small group of students and researchers in "ivory towers". For the last three centuries, the value of reviewing select history books has been intertwined with wider and deeper political designs about how to understand the past in local, national, and international contexts. Here, book reviewing as peer reviewing advances the cause of public scholarship. The vitality of reviewing history books is to be found in a set of processes that have required diverse experts to engage in public conversations about the very nature and purpose of history. That this profound legacy is being undermined by twenty-first-century crises in university culture should give all stakeholders of academic history pause for thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Rethinking book reviewing as a form of peer review refreshes our understanding of both activities, as well as the conceptual and historical interactions between the two. Moving beyond the usual reference points of the professionalisation and scientification of the discipline of history, this article takes a novel and dynamic approach to crafting an English/Anglophone history of reviewing history books. Working with a source base drawn from the Historical Journal, the English Historical Review, and the Times Literary Supplement, published reviews of academic history books can be seen to fulfil complex and important functions that readily transcend any suggestion that they merely service the needs of a small group of students and researchers in "ivory towers". For the last three centuries, the value of reviewing select history books has been intertwined with wider and deeper political designs about how to understand the past in local, national, and international contexts. Here, book reviewing as peer reviewing advances the cause of public scholarship. The vitality of reviewing history books is to be found in a set of processes that have required diverse experts to engage in public conversations about the very nature and purpose of history. That this profound legacy is being undermined by twenty-first-century crises in university culture should give all stakeholders of academic history pause for thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 00264695 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11024-025-09603-0 |
