Global History through the Lens of Intellectual History

Abstract

This article explores the evolving discourse surrounding global history. While historians initially embraced global history as essential for comprehending a globalised world, recent debates have questioned its desirability and feasibility. The author examines the intersection of global history with intellectual history, discussing the establishment of dedicated publications—such as the journal Global Intellectual History—and evaluating the three heuristic approaches proposed in the volume edited by Samuel Moyn and Andrew Sartori in 2013 (universalist interpretations, comparativist perspectives, and investigations into networks and interactions across space). The author highlights challenges such as translatability and the dominance of English-language scholarship. The article concludes with a call for a critical examination of the ‘global’ as a concept, acknowledging the need for reflectivity, collaborative efforts, and a nuanced understanding of historical contexts in shaping the future of global history.

Image Caption: David d’Angers, plaster cast for the bronze bas-relief commissioned by the municipality of Strasbourg for the monument of Gutenberg in Gutenberg Square (1840), Angers, David d’Angers Gallery, inventory no. MBA 842.7, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0. Jean Pierre Dalbéra) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Statue_of_Johannes_Gutenberg_on_Place_Gutenberg_in_Strasbourg#/media/File:La_diffusion_des_id%C3%A9es_en_Asie_(!)_gr%C3%A2ce_%C3%A0_l'imprimerie_par_David_d'Angers_(Angers)_(15095158141).jpg