Transatlantic Encounters - v. 1 : Public Uses and Misuses of History in Europe and the United States

Discussions about fundamental historical events of the past century have invaded the public domain; public opinion and policy-makers ask framers of the public image of the past to provide guidance, reassurance, and legitimisation.

Increasing social heterogeneity and cultural difference force us to revise our traditional concepts of culture and examine the public, social and pedagogical implications of multiculturalism in an explicitly comparative perspective.

This book explores how history has been used to support or oppose the political orders of our century as well as its great themes, and how historians have dealt with issues of scholarly objectivity, personal beliefs, and public commitment.