History was written in the aftermath of World War II also in this way: reflections on the historiography of Pierre Vilar

• Grant number: 13/16748-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: March 08, 2014
• End date: December 07, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - Theory and Philosophy of History
• Principal Investigator: Marcia Barbosa Mansor D'Alessio
• Grantee: Marcia Barbosa Mansor D'Alessio
• Host Investigator: François Hartog
• Host Institution: Escola de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (EFLCH). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Guarulhos. Guarulhos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), France

Abstract

The area of research chosen here deals with history of historiography, and its spatial/temporal focus lies in the France, specifically in the aftermath of World War II. It is exactly in this sphere where lies the main purpose of my study, focused on the historiography of Pierre Vilar. Regarded as one of the greatest historians of the twentieth century, Pierre Vilar played a role of paramount importance in the direction the French historiography took from the second half of the last century. Additionally, its work has inspired a large variety of Spanish and Latin American historians, ended up becoming one of the 'models' of historical writing of that time. Historicizing the historiography of Vilar is the main objective of this research. The delineation of the sources was carried on as follows:-Theoretical texts belonging to Pierre Vilar; - PhD thesis on State by Pierre Vilar; - Vilar's papers published by journals; - Vilar's articles published by the newspaper L'Humanité; - PhD thesis supervised by Pierre Vilar. Some points already raised aim to respond to the concerns referred to construction, reframing and concepts applied by Vilar in his empirical investigations; but also referred to theoretical frameworks which guided his methodological options; to historical experiences motivating his historiographical constructions; to subjectivities existing in his political and ideological options; and last but not least to the impact and the circulation of his ideas on the writing of history. The methodological procedure will closely follow the thought and the type of reflection of certain authors, such as Michel de Certeau, François Hartog, Reinhart Koselleck, who show in their approach the Pierre Nora's statement according to which 'some sort of fundamental thing start somehow when history begin to make its own history'. (AU)