Willie Thompson – författare

In this clear, jargon-free guide, Willie Thompson provides a concise introduction to postmodernist theory and its significant impact on the study of history. Although this is a hotly-debated topic, with much of the current literature being both polemical and inaccessible to the beginner, Thompson offers straightforward explanations of complex concepts and shows how the debates are relevant to students'' own work.Postmodernism and History:- Considers the origins of postmodernism in both the ideas of poststructuralist thinkers, particularly Michel Foucault, and the political and cultural developments of the late 20th century- Explores themes such as the treatment of historical evidence, problems of historical representation, feminist history, ethical judgements on past events, and the validity of metanarrative or long-term historical explanation- Discusses critically the work of a number of current and recent practicing historians - including Joan Scott, Roy Porter, Patrick Joyce and James Vernon - who have used postmodernist ideas in their writing- Enquires how far postmodern thought has been absorbed into mainstream historiography

In this clear, jargon-free guide, Willie Thompson provides a concise introduction to postmodernist theory and its significant impact on the study of history. Although this is a hotly-debated topic, with much of the current literature being both polemical and inaccessible to the beginner, Thompson offers straightforward explanations of complex concepts and shows how the debates are relevant to students' own work.Postmodernism and History:- Considers the origins of postmodernism in both the ideas of poststructuralist thinkers, particularly Michel Foucault, and the political and cultural developments of the late 20th century- Explores themes such as the treatment of historical evidence, problems of historical representation, feminist history, ethical judgements on past events, and the validity of metanarrative or long-term historical explanation- Discusses critically the work of a number of current and recent practicing historians - including Joan Scott, Roy Porter, Patrick Joyce and James Vernon - who have used postmodernist ideas in their writing- Enquires how far postmodern thought has been absorbed into mainstream historiography

From the late 1980s the seemingly firmly established communist movement collapsed with dramatic suddenness.

From the late 1980s the seemingly firmly established communist movement collapsed with dramatic suddenness.

This is a history of political ideologies during the period from the First World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union, famously described by Eric Hobsbawm as 'The Age of Extremes'.By introducing the key ideologies of the twentieth-century: liberalism, conservatism, communism and fascism, and considering them in in relation to each other, Willie Thompson shows how these philosophies often emerged from a common root or merged into a common future, stealing each other’s clothes and reinventing themselves as the stark opposite of a competing ideology. This sophisticated yet accessible analysis will be of great interest to students of 20th century history and political theory.

This is the history of the world, from the origins of the Cosmos to the present day, seen through three major narratives: work, sex and power - the forces that have done more than any other to shape the world as we see it now. It expertly explores the foundations of our developing society by showing how these grand themes have recurred throughout the various phases of global history. From communities of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers, through feudalism and onto the capitalistic machine-civilisation of recent centuries, Willie Thompson takes us on a journey that is fundamentally opposed to mainstream histories which concentrate on monarchs, politicians and military commanders. At the centre of this book lies the interaction between humans and their environment. By exploring history in this way, it reveals a simple yet powerful materialist understanding of how we got to where we are today, and opens a door to a different reading of our world.

This is the history of the world, from the origins of the Cosmos to the present day, seen through three major narratives: work, sex and power - the forces that have done more than any other to shape the world as we see it now. It expertly explores the foundations of our developing society by showing how these grand themes have recurred throughout the various phases of global history. From communities of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers, through feudalism and onto the capitalistic machine-civilisation of recent centuries, Willie Thompson takes us on a journey that is fundamentally opposed to mainstream histories which concentrate on monarchs, politicians and military commanders. At the centre of this book lies the interaction between humans and their environment. By exploring history in this way, it reveals a simple yet powerful materialist understanding of how we got to where we are today, and opens a door to a different reading of our world.

In this clear, jargon-free guide, Willie Thompson provides a concise introduction to postmodernist theory and its significant impact on the study of history. Although this is a hotly-debated topic, with much of the current literature being both polemical and inaccessible to the beginner, Thompson offers straightforward explanations of complex concepts and shows how the debates are relevant to students'' own work.Postmodernism and History:- Considers the origins of postmodernism in both the ideas of poststructuralist thinkers, particularly Michel Foucault, and the political and cultural developments of the late 20th century- Explores themes such as the treatment of historical evidence, problems of historical representation, feminist history, ethical judgements on past events, and the validity of metanarrative or long-term historical explanation- Discusses critically the work of a number of current and recent practicing historians - including Joan Scott, Roy Porter, Patrick Joyce and James Vernon - who have used postmodernist ideas in their writing- Enquires how far postmodern thought has been absorbed into mainstream historiography

This is the history of the world, from the origins of the Cosmos to the present day, seen through three major narratives: work, sex and power - the forces that have done more than any other to shape the world as we see it now. It expertly explores the foundations of our developing society by showing how these grand themes have recurred throughout the various phases of global history. From communities of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers, through feudalism and onto the capitalistic machine-civilisation of recent centuries, Willie Thompson takes us on a journey that is fundamentally opposed to mainstream histories which concentrate on monarchs, politicians and military commanders. At the centre of this book lies the interaction between humans and their environment. By exploring history in this way, it reveals a simple yet powerful materialist understanding of how we got to where we are today, and opens a door to a different reading of our world.

This is a history of political ideologies during the period from the First World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union, famously described by Eric Hobsbawm as ''The Age of Extremes''.By introducing the key ideologies of the twentieth-century: liberalism, conservatism, communism and fascism, and considering them in in relation to each other, Willie Thompson shows how these philosophies often emerged from a common root or merged into a common future, stealing each other’s clothes and reinventing themselves as the stark opposite of a competing ideology. This sophisticated yet accessible analysis will be of great interest to students of 20th century history and political theory.

The political tradition loosely termed ''the left'' has been brought to crisis point as the twentieth century draws to a close. In this cohesive and wide-ranging study, Willie Thompson charts the history of the left, from its origins in the French Revolution to the present crisis. The schisms between revolution and reform which have so characterised the left and which have determined its shape as a world movement during the twentieth century, are described and analysed in detail.Thompson focuses on the principal currents, including the rise and fall of Bolshevism, Leninism and Stalinism; the embrace and subsequent abandonment of Marxist rhetoric by former Soviet allies in the Third World; European social democracy; and ''actually existing socialism'' in states such as China and Cuba. The impact of ''alternatives'' to the mainstream - Trotskyism, Maoism and Eurocommunism - is assessed, and the potential for the New Left and postwar social forces such as feminism, environmentalism and ''identity'' politics to facilitate renewal is evaluated. Thompson concludes that if the left is to play any part in addressing the unfinished agenda of the post-1990s, then it must develop a clear understanding of the historical lessons that follow from its earlier embodiments.