What Is Cultural History? (Book)

Peter Burke's What Is Cultural History examines the development of cultural history, its key debates, and its relationship with different disciplines. The author emphasizes how cultural history differs from traditional historiography and requires an interdisciplinary approach. The book explores topics ranging from classical understandings of cultural history to Marxist debates, historical anthropology, structural analyses, and postmodern approaches.

The book covers fundamental topics related to the definition and evaluation of cultural history. Its main sections include:

• The Grand Tradition
• Problems in Cultural History
• Historical Anthropology
• New Paradigms
• Cultural Constructions and Representations
• Cultural Transformations and Boundaries

Burke argues that cultural history is not merely a narrative of events but rather focuses on how cultural practices, symbols, and systems of meaning are shaped. The book evaluates the influence of thinkers such as Mikhail Bakhtin, Norbert Elias, Michel Foucault, and Pierre Bourdieu on cultural historiography. It also addresses topics like the history of reading habits, Orientalism in music, memory, and identity formation.

Cultural history’s relationship with traditional historical disciplines such as politics and economics is also analyzed. Burke particularly emphasizes the importance of long-term historical changes (la longue durée). By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, the book provides a comprehensive framework for both academics and readers interested in social sciences.