变动中的西方史学

在西方学术发展史上,19世纪被称为“历史学的世纪”。进入20世纪,西方史学在“新史学”的旗帜下,取得了新的成就。科学地认识20世纪的西方史学,借鉴其有益的内容,对当代中国史学的建设具有积极作用。第二次世界大战后西方史学发展的特点和趋势之一是随着史学家历史视野的开拓,研究领域迅速扩大,传统史学同其他哲学社会科学各学科的界限变得越来越模糊,在广泛采用新的史学方法的基础上,出现了一系列历史学新的史学方法和分支学科;第二次世界大战后西方史学发展的特点和趋势之二是关注社会生活中的现实问题,强调现实决定了历史研究要研究什么和怎样研究。中国世界史研究的真正动力,在于独立地对世界历史进行认识和思考。

Western Historiography in Flux

In Western historiography, the 19th century has been called the "century of historiography." In the 20th century, Western historiography made fresh advances under the banner of the "new historiography," and scientifically grasping and drawing on it can play a positive role in developing contemporary Chinese historiography. Since the 2nd World War, the research fields of Western history have rapidly expanded and the boundary between history and the social sciences has blurred. New methods and specialties have emerged on the basis of new methods. Post-war Western historiography has focused on social issues, and stressed that these realities must dictate what is studied and how.