Thoughts on history and history writing Can historians take the role of political activists? Indian academic historians just did this type of roles! One school of historians passed resolutions against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. They very same school also opposed the Babri Masjid demolition case referred to the Supreme Court. The so-called other…
Category: History
Wars and peaces!
What chances for freedoms today? Human rights ensured or violated in today’s world? Sunny summer? Or, a winter of discontent or despair? Thoughts on our freedoms and security! The day and the time when the leaves glow yellow and golden when the sun shines! Where are our freedoms today? What are the freedoms we…
Why study history?
What use the study of Indian history? Dr.Sabyasachi Bhattacharya Dr.Romila Thapar Prof.Irfan Habib Prof.M.G.S.Narayanan Prof.Suvira Jaiswal I have just noted down some of the names of the eminent historians now writing in India. This I do for the simple reason that many of the readers of this magazine might not have heard of their names….
Eric Hobsbawam’s “The Age of Extremes”
A history of the short twentieth century (1914-1991) The weekends in my village don’t miss their highlights: I bought this time the volume by Eric Hebswam’s “The Age of Extremes”, the much acclaimed volume in his series of “Ages” of Capital and Revolution and many others. This volume I didn’t have had the time till…
Why Communism fell in 1989?
It was a revolt of the masses and the intellectuals! Has the world become a better and safer place after the fall of Communism? Views could differ. America as the sole Super Power is a good thing? or, what are the alternatives? All big and difficult questions.Politicians are no better judges,as they are transitory persons….
Do Indians have a sense of history?
Some thoughts on the history of our times. History is a challenging social science! Reading history is one thing. Writing history is another thing. Should we, Indians, re-write our history? India’s need to re-write and also learn to re-interpret the world events of the 20th century and also the likely shape of history in the…
What is history?
History is series of accidents Big events have no big causes! Marxists believe history has a pattern or lessons. Non-Marxists like Alan Taylor (who taught me history) thought history is a series of accidents. As Taylor had said many a time the first war was triggered because on the “fateful July 28 1914,all the six…
Some thoughts on the history of our times
History:a challenging social science! Reading history is one thing Writing history is another thing Should we,Indians, re-write our history? India’s need to re-write and also learn to re-interpret the world events of the 20th century and the likely shape of history in the 21st century is a challenge for intellectuals and educators. Eric Hobsbawm Eric…