The Annales School, Marc Bloch and Fernand Braudel
I.
Marc Bloch
A. Personal History
-French
-6 July 1886 to 16? June 1944 Joined the French Resistance in 1942 and was
captured in 1944 and consequently executed. A great shock to his fellow
scholars. He wrote this while in Southern France fighting the resistance
B. Vision of History (with Lucien Febvre, 1878 - )—this vision examined "the
longue durée"—literally, long duration that provided more nuanced history. It
provided a layer effect really. More on that in a moment.
C. Annales d'histoire économique et sociale (founded 1929)—their shared vision of
history led to the establishment of this journal, which still continues, though
generations have shifted focus.
II.
The "Annales School"
A. Founding scholars, Bloch and Febvre who met at the University of Strasbourg in
1919
B. Interested in history in the aggregate, the 'snapshot of history'—According to
Febvre in the opening issue of the journal, "It is against these serious schisms
that we intend to rise. Not by means of articles about method, not by means of
theoretical disquisitions, but by means of examples, by means of achieved
results! The example of workers of different backgrounds and
specializations…who will show the results of their research on subjects within
their competence and of their choice" (quoted in Braudel, 462)
C. belief that culture rests on society which rests on the economy—if you link this
with the 'snapshot' idea, you see how these historians were 'materialist'. They
examined how societies and civilizations interacted with their environment. But
also a 'global' history in that it was very interdisciplinary—it attempted a synthesis
of many different schools. In this way it is more far-reaching, more 'global' if you
will than each specific discipline on its own.
D. So, given this, why not 'Marxist'? They had some concerns with Marxist history
III.
Fernand Braudel
A. Personal History (1902 – 1985)
B. Student of Febvre's. Thus is part of the second-generation Annales historians.
C. Worked in the Mediterranean (Algiers)—really what you see with this brief
excerpt from Braudel, and more with the theory of Bloch, is the desire to get at a
truly "global" history.
D. Some of his classic annalistes tomes include Civilization and Capitalism, 15th –
18th century in three volumes (1. The Structure of Everyday Life, 2. The Wheels
of Commerce and 3. The Perspective of the World). Also wrote The
Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II (in two
volumes)
IV.
Class Discussion