Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

[ THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF HISTORY EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY GEORG G. IGGERS BY RANKE, LEOPOLD VON](AUTHOR)PAPERBACK

Rate this book
Leopold von Ranke, who was born in 1795, is considered to be one of the founders of the modern practice of writing history. This collection of his writings, edited and introduced by Georg G. Iggers, was first published in 1973 and remains the leading collection of Ranke s writings in the English language.Now updated with the needs of current students in mind, this edition includes previously untranslated materials by the young Ranke, focusing particularly on the relationship between history and religion together with his inaugural lecture of 1836 On the Relation and Difference between History and Politics . Including pieces on historical science, and on the relationship between history and philosophy, as well as country specific histories, this book is essential reading for all students of historiography.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

11 people are currently reading
288 people want to read

About the author

Leopold von Ranke

1,403 books42 followers
Leopold von Ranke was a German historian, considered one of the founders of modern source-based history. Ranke set the tone for much of later historical writing, introducing such ideas as reliance on primary sources (Empiricism), an emphasis on narrative history and especially international politics (Aussenpolitik).

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
9 (27%)
4 stars
10 (30%)
3 stars
9 (27%)
2 stars
4 (12%)
1 star
1 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Author 6 books253 followers
February 24, 2013
A really great, immense selection of some of von Ranke's philosophical treatises on history and historiography as well as some selections from "History of the Popes" and some of his erudite prefaces from other works. An endlessly fascinating guy who held that critical analysis of documents and texts was paramount and that abstraction and generalization were incompatible with interpreting the past. Has a fantastic introduction by Georg Iggers, expert on German historiography and such things, a little piece from Humboldt, too. Should be back in print soon, according to Amazon.
Profile Image for noblethumos.
743 reviews74 followers
March 26, 2023
"The Theory and Practice of History" is a book written by Leopold von Ranke, a German historian who is considered one of the founders of modern historical scholarship. The book was first published in 1865 and is widely regarded as a seminal work in the field of historiography.

Ranke's central argument in the book is that history should be approached as an empirical science, based on the rigorous examination of primary sources and the objective analysis of historical facts. He emphasizes the importance of basing historical interpretations on concrete evidence rather than speculative theories or moral judgments.

Ranke also argues that the historian's task is to reconstruct the past as it actually happened, rather than imposing present-day values or interpretations on historical events. He believes that the role of the historian is to discover and interpret the past, rather than to judge or evaluate it.

"The Theory and Practice of History" has had a profound influence on the practice of historical scholarship, and has shaped the development of modern historical methodology. Ranke's emphasis on empirical research, rigorous analysis, and objectivity has been a central tenet of historical scholarship for over a century. Critics, however, have argued that his approach neglects the role of interpretation and subjectivity in historical understanding, and that it promotes a conservative, apolitical view of history.

GPT
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.