Making History : The Historian and Uses of the Past

Everyone has a personal connection to the past, independent of historical inquiry. So, what is the role of the historian? Making History argues that historians have damagingly dissociated the discipline of history from the everyday nature of history, defining their work only in scholarly terms. Exploring the relationship between history and society, Kalela makes the case for a more participatory historical research culture, in which historians take account of their role in society and the ways in which history-making as a basic social practice is present in their work. Making History not only asks provocative questions about the role of the historian, it also provides practical guidance for students and historians on planning research projects with greater public impact. This book is vital reading for all historians, lay and professional, and will be an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on historiography and research methods.

JORMA KALELA Emeritus Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Turku, Finland. His book Historiantutkimus ja historia (The Study of History) is the leading introductory historiography textbook in Finland. Over his forty-year career he has published 11 monographs and 142 scholarly articles and has an international reputation for his work on history and society.