Quentin Skinner is one of the world's leading historians. His work includes pioneering studies of Machiavelli and Hobbes, as well as important research on changing ideas of liberty and the state. His classic 1969 essay 'Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas' was a ground-breaking challenge to prevailing ideas about how to read historical texts, and helped to found an influential school of interpretation. The essay is still the most widely read article in the area, and continues to breed debate. This book celebrates the 50th anniversary of Skinner's seminal essay with chapters that offer constructive critiques and expansions of his ideas, drawing in part on developments in digital humanities, empirical social science, and other areas. We focus not just on theory but also practice: what are the practical implications of these arguments for other researchers? At the end of the book, Professor Skinner responds to these commentaries.
| ISBN: | 9781836245759 |
| Publication date: | 28th February 2026 |
| Author: | Adrian Blau |
| Publisher: | The British Academy an imprint of Liverpool University Press |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 320 pages |
| Series: | Proceedings of the British Academy |
| Genres: |
History of ideas Historical research: source documents History of scholarship (principally of social sciences and humanities) |
Quentin Skinner is one of the world's leading historians. His work includes pioneering studies of Machiavelli and Hobbes, as well as important research on changing ideas of liberty and the state. His classic 1969 essay 'Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas' was a ground-breaking challenge to prevailing ideas about how to read historical texts, and helped to found an influential school of interpretation. The essay is still the most widely read article in the area, and continues to breed debate. This book celebrates the 50th anniversary of Skinner's seminal essay with chapters that offer constructive critiques and expansions of his ideas, drawing in part on developments in digital humanities, empirical social science, and other areas. We focus not just on theory but also practice: what are the practical implications of these arguments for other researchers? At the end of the book, Professor Skinner responds to these commentaries.
Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas and Beyond features in the following genres: History of ideas, Historical research: source documents, History of scholarship (principally of social sciences and humanities)
Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas and Beyond is available in Hardback
Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas and Beyond was written by Adrian Blau and published by The British Academy an imprint of Liverpool University Press
Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas and Beyond has 320 pages
Yes it is part of Proceedings of the British Academy series
£105.00