Antoine Compagnon discusses two recent projects that throw light on the intellectual history of the 20th century. The controversies surrounding the institutionalisation of sociology or anthropology illustrate how academic subjects have developed in France; a literary anthology situates the literature of the Great War within an international context.
Historical episodes of collective violence in the 20th century have given rise to a series of debates which can be seen as “crises of memory”, according to Susan Rubin Suleiman. As these crises of memory unravel, they have an impact not only on collective memory but also on literature and the public sphere.
In this interview with Books&Ideas, specialist of German economic history Adam Tooze answers questions on the history of the Third Reich : was there such a thing as a Nazi economic policy ? what were the economic reasons for Hitler’s total war against Europe ? what were the legacies of this experience for the post-1945 German economy ?
Published in 2010, Timothy Snyder’s book Bloodlands is a magisterial rereading of the history of mass murder in Eastern Europe between 1933 and 1945, which has excited interest and controversy in Europe. In this interview, T. Snyder highlights the necessity to go beyond national boundaries in order to achieve “a decent and true understanding of the past”.
