Footnotes by Jemar Tisby

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The Real Problem with Historians and "Presentism"

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The Real Problem with Historians and "Presentism"

Are historians losing their craft by focusing on "identity politics", or is the concern misplaced?

Jemar Tisby
Aug 24, 2022
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The Real Problem with Historians and "Presentism"

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I’d love to do more video and podcasts like this on “hot topics.” Would you support me in this work by becoming a paid subscriber today?

An internecine controversy among historians recently spilled out into the broader public conversation.

A term called "presentism" started trending on Twitter after the president of the American Historical Association, Dr. James Sweet, wrote an article asking if there was too much focus from historians on "contemporary social justice issues—race, gender, sexuality, nationalism, capitalism..."

In this video, I speak with Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley, who has his PhD in religious historical studies, to help explain what presentism is, why it is so controversial, and how Black studies takes a different approach.

You can also listen to the audio on my FOOTNOTES podcast. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you’ll know as soon as a new episode drops!

What are the most memorable history books you’ve read lately? How did an understanding of the past shape your understanding of the present? Leave a comment below!

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The Real Problem with Historians and "Presentism"

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Peggy Drew
Writes The Antique Photo Album
Aug 24, 2022

No Place of Grace: Antimodernism and Transformation of American Culture, 1880-1920 by T.J. Jackson Lears, 1981. Gave me some insight into the development of consumer capitalism and the drive for therapeutic activities of all sorts.

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JC Harvey
Aug 25, 2022

Thanks for this discussion. I recommend your perusal of a newly published history by Steven L. Dundas. MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY: RELIGION AND THE POLITICS OF RACE IN THE CIVIL WAR ERA AND BEYOND.

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