"Why bother with history? Keith Jenkins has an answer. He helps us re-think the "end of history," as signalled by postmodernity. Readers may disagree with him, but he never fails to provoke debate about the future of the past."

Joanna Bourke, Professor of History, Birkbeck College

Keith Jenkins? work on historical theory is renowned; this collection presents the essential elements of his work over the last fifteen years.

Here we see Jenkins address the difficult and complex question of defining the limits of history. The collection draws together the key pieces of his work in one handy volume, encompassing the ever controversial issue of postmodernism and history, questions on the end of history and radical history into the future. Exchanges with Perez Zagorin and Michael Coleman further illuminate the level of debate that has surrounded postmodernism, and which continues to do so. An extended introduction and abstracts which contextualize each piece, together with a foreword by Hayden White and an afterword by Alun Munslow, make this collection essential reading for all those interested in the theory and practice of history and its development over the last few decades.

"Why bother with history? Keith Jenkins has an answer. He helps us re-think the "end of history," as signalled by postmodernity. Readers may disagree with him, but he never fails to provoke debate about the future of the past."

Joanna Bourke, Professor of History, Birkbeck College

Keith Jenkins work on historical theory is renowned; this collection presents the essential elements of his work over the last fifteen years.

Here we see Jenkins address the difficult and complex question of defining the limits of history. The collection draws together the key pieces of his work in one handy volume, encompassing the ever controversial issue of postmodernism and history, questions on the end of history and radical history into the future. Exchanges with Perez Zagorin and Michael Coleman further illuminate the level of debate that has surrounded postmodernism, and which continues to do so. An extended introduction and abstracts which contextualize each piece, together with a foreword by Hayden White and an afterword by Alun Munslow, make this collection essential reading for all those interested in the theory and practice of history and its development over the last few decades.

Written by some of the world s leading historians and theorists of history, Manifestos for History draws together a series of manifestos that address the question of what kinds of histories we ought to be considering and making in and for the twenty-first century. With a foreword by Joanna Bourke and an afterword by Hayden White, these manifestos critical, innovative, reflexive, inspirational are absolutely essential reading, not just for those embarking on the study of history, but for all those who would think seriously about the nature of history in its present and possible future forms. This collection establishes a benchmark for all future considerations upon the discourse of history.

Written by some of the world's leading historians and theorists of history, Manifestos for History draws together a series of manifestos that address the question of what kinds of histories we ought to be considering and making in and for the twenty-first century. With a foreword by Joanna Bourke and an afterword by Hayden White, these manifestos - critical, innovative, reflexive, inspirational - are absolutely essential reading, not just for those embarking on the study of history, but for all those who would think seriously about 'the nature of history' in its present and possible future forms. This collection establishes a benchmark for all future considerations upon the discourse of history.

The question of what the nature of history is, is now a key issue for all students of history. It is now recognized by many that the past and history are different phenomena and that the way the past is actively historicized can be highly problematic and contested. Older metaphysical, ontological, epistemological, methodological and ethical assumptions can no longer be taken as read.
In this timely collection, key pieces of writing by leading historians are reproduced and evaluated, with an explanation and critique of their character and assumptions, and how they reflect upon the nature of the history project.
The authors respond to the view that the nature of history has become so disparate in assumption, approach and practice as to require an informed guide that is both self-reflexive, engaged, critical and innovative. This work seeks to aid a positive re-thinking of history today, and will be of use both to students and to their teachers.

In this engaging sequel to Rethinking History, Keith Jenkins argues for a re-figuration of historical study. At the core of his survey lies the realization that objective and disinterested histories as well as historical 'truth' are unachievable. The past and questions about the nature of history remain interminably open to new and disobedient approaches.
Jenkins reassesses conventional history in a bold fashion. His committed and radical study presents new ways of 'thinking history', a new methodology and philosophy and their impact on historical practice. This volume is written for students and teachers of history, illuminating and changing the core of their discipline.

In this engagingly written sequel to Rethinking History, Keith Jenkins argues for a re-figuration of historical study. At the core of his survey lies the realization that objective and disinterested histories as well as historical 'truth' are unachievable. The past and questions about the nature of history remain interminably open to new and disobedient approaches.
Jenkins reassesses conventional history in a bold fashion. His committed and radical study presents new ways of 'thinking history', a new methodology and philosophy and their impact on historical practice.

Why History is an introduction to the issue of history and ethics. Designed to provoke discussion, the book asks whether a good knowledge and understanding of the past is a good thing to have and if so, why. In the context of postmodern times, Why History suggests that the goal of 'learning lessons from the past' is actually learning lessons from stories written by historians and others. If the past as history has no foundation, can anything ethical be gained from history?
Why History presents liberating challenges to history and ethics, proposing that we have reached an emancipatory moment which is well beyond the 'end of history'.

"Why History?" is a compelling introduction to the issue of history and ethics. Designed to provoke discussion, the book asks whether and why a good knowledge and understanding of the past is desirable. In the context of current postmodern thinking, Keith Jenkins suggests that the goal of "learning lessons from the past" actually means learning lessons from stories written by historians and others. If the past as history has no foundation, can anything ethical be gained from history?
Daring and controversial, "Why History?" presents liberating challenges to history and ethics, proposing that we have reached an emancipatory moment which is well beyond the "end of history."

The Postmodern History Reader is the most comprehensive collection of influential texts on historiography and postmodernism yet compiled. Keith Jenkins expertly selects from the books and journal articles across the whole historiographical range that have been key to the transforming debates.
This unique reader is a clear introduction to the impact of postmodernism on historical debate, allowing easy access to one of the more stimulating and exciting areas of current history. It provides:
* extracts from influential historians, such as Barthes, Joyce, White, Foucault and Baudrillard
* individual introductions to each carefully defined debate
* many thoroughly up-to-date as well as 'classic' pieces
* texts from a range of subdisciplines in history and theory
* arguments both for and against postmodernism
* advice on further reading
* access to key writings which are not normally readily available.
Presented in a format that is both easy to use and challenging, The Postmodern History Reader will serve as an invaluable course text and reference tool for students and postgraduates.

The Postmodern History Reader makes accessible a comprehensive selection of the essential historiographical debates that have until now only been available in journals and monographs. The reader provides:
* an extensive contextualizing introduction
* additional resumes for each section
* articles and extracts from a wide range of sources and authors
* selections that reflect all sides of the postmodern debate in history
* substantial selections suitable for in-depth study
* selections that demonstrate the practical implications of postmodernism for the study of history
* an annotated guide to further reading.
This Reader will be an invaluable reference work and course book for undergraduate and graduate students.

Carr and Elton are still the starting point for the vast majority of A level and introductory Higher Education courses on the nature of history. Jenkins provides a close reading of both, pointing out why historians and students need to go beyond their outdated 'modernist' thinking. Jenkins proposes new guides appropriate to the historian Hayden White. These seminal theorists are in line with today's postmodernist thinking, and bursting with clever and interesting ideas. Through their writings Jenkins introduces a range of arguments which he feels ought to be at the centre of any debate about the nature of history.
Radical and controversial, On 'What is History?', like Jenkins' Rethinking History, will be invaluable student introduction to contemporary debates.

In, "On "What is History?"" Keith Jenkins expands on his highly successful "Rethinking History" and bring the "history question" up to date. The author argues that the older modernist texts, including those of Carr and Elton, are now only partial guides to contemporary debates. He lobbies for an embracing of the postmodernist approaches of such thinkers as Richard Rorty and Hayden White.
In the introduction, Jenkins contextualizes the places of Carr and Elton, and Rorty and White in the contemporary debate concerning the nature of history. He goes on to give radical critiques of Carr and Elton in the first two chapters. In the last sections, Jenkins introduces Rorty and White, postmodern thinkers who in his opinion represent a way forward in today's historiographical debates.
Jenkins' exploration of Hayden White's work is particularly significant. White has long been recognized as one of the most original history theorists currently writing, but his work is little read and little understood in many orthodox historical arenas. Jenkins argues that this neglect of White and a concurrent suspicion of "theory" among many historians are issues which need to be urgently addressed.
"On "What Is History?"" enables readers to gain a clear undertstanding of the current debates in history and historiography, an understanding that necessarily moves beyond Carr and Elton.

The question of what the nature of history is, is now a key issue for all students of history. It is now recognised by many that the past and history are different phenomena and that the way the past is actively historicised can be highly problematic and contested. Older metaphysical, ontological, epistemological, methodological and ethical assumptions can no longer be taken as read. In this timely collection, key pieces of writing by leading historians are reproduced and evaluated, with an explanation and critique of their character and assumptions, and how they reflect upon the nature of the history project. The authors respond to the view that the nature of history has become so disparate in assumption, approach and practice as to require an informed guide that is both self-reflexive, engaged, critical and innovative. This work seeks to aid a positive re-thinking of history today, and will be of use both to students and to their teachers.

History means many things to many people. But finding an answer to the question 'What is history?' is a task few feel equipped to answer. If you want to explore this tantalising subject, where do you start? What are the critical skills you need to begin to make sense of the past? The perfect introduction to this thought-provoking area, Jenkins' clear and concise prose guides readers through the controversies and debates that surround historical thinking at the present time, providing them with the means to make their own discoveries.

'This book caused quite a stir when it appeared in 1991 and has now attained Routledge Classics status ... Jenkins packs a lot into a short space and his explanations of "history theory" are impressively concise.' - The Guardian

'A startlingly clear and thought-provoking introduction to current central debates in history and historiography. It is accessible to history students, students in subjects that draw on historical past and to the general reader. Already, a classic text book.' - Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of London

'Far and away the best introduction to the state of the question currently available.' - Hayden White, University of California at Santa Cruz

Electrical steels are critical components of magnetic cores used in applications ranging from large rotating machines, including energy generating equipment, and transformers to small instrument transformers and harmonic filters. Presented over two volumes, this comprehensive handbook provides full coverage of the state-of-the-art in electrical steels. Volume 1 covers the fundamentals and basic concepts of electrical steels. Topics covered include soft magnetic materials; basic magnetic concepts; magnetic domains, energy minimisation and magnetostriction; methods of observing magnetic domains in electrical steels; electromagnetic induction; fundamentals of a.c. signals; losses and eddy currents in soft magnetic materials; rotational magnetisation and losses; anisotropy of iron and its alloys; magnetic circuits; the effect of mechanical stress on loss, permeability and magnetostriction; magnetic measurements on electrical steels; background to modern electrical steels; production of electrical steels; amorphous and nano-crystalline soft magnetic materials; nickel-iron, cobalt-iron and aluminium-iron alloys; consolidated iron powder and ferrite cores; and temperature and irradiation dependence of magnetic and mechanical properties of soft magnetic materials. The companion Volume 2 describes performance and outlines applications.

Electrical steels are critical components of magnetic cores used in applications ranging from large rotating machines, including energy generating equipment, and transformers to small instrument transformers and harmonic filters. Presented over two volumes, this comprehensive handbook provides full coverage of the state-of-the-art in electrical steels. Volume 2 describes performance and outlines applications of electrical steels. Topics covered include localised characteristics of electrical steels; practical properties of electrical steels; other electrical steels; prediction of losses in electrical steels; application of electrical steels in transformer cores; applications of electrical steels in rotating electrical machines; non-sinusoidal magnetisation and applications; magnetic building factors in electrical steel cores; use of amorphous ribbon and nano-materials in transformer cores; electrical machine core vibration and noise; approaches to predictions and measurements of flux density and loss distributions in electrical machine cores; the application of international standards to magnetic alloys and steels; electrical steels and renewable energy systems; environmental impact of electrical steels; and typical performance data of commercial electrical steels. The companion Volume 1 covers the fundamentals and basic concepts of electrical steels.