"The investigative premise of intellectual history is that ideas do not develop in isolation from the thinkers who conceptualize and apply those ideas."
This type of Political History studies the ideological and cultural movements related to politics, including topics such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, feminism, and environmentalism.
Key Political Thinkers: Includes the study of prominent political thinkers and philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, and others. Examines their contributions to political theory and their views on the role of government.
Political Systems: Studies various political systems such as democracy, socialism, communism, fascism, and anarchism. Explores the fundamental principles of these systems, their origins, how they function, and their pros and cons.
Revolution and Revolt: Focuses on important political revolutions of the past such as the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Russian Revolution. Explores the causes and outcomes of these revolutions, the role of leaders, and the political aftermath.
International Relations: Studies the interactions between nations, including diplomatic relations, trade, and alliances. Includes topics such as international law, diplomacy, conflict resolution, and theories of international relations.
Political Economy: Examines the relationship between politics and economics, including the role of government in regulating markets, wealth distribution, and economic growth. Also includes topics such as trade, investment, and economic policy.
Political Ideologies: Studies different political ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, and populism. Focuses on the foundations, principles, and characteristics of each ideology and its influence on political thought and action.
Comparative Politics: Compares political systems, institutions, and processes across different countries and regions. Examines similarities and differences in governance, electoral systems, voting patterns, and political culture.
Political Philosophy: Explores the philosophical foundations of political thought, including issues such as individual rights, justice, and morality. Examines the contributions of philosophers such as John Rawls, Robert Nozick, and Immanuel Kant.
Citizenship and Political Participation: Studies the role of citizens in political life, including voting, activism, and community organizing. Examines the history and evolution of citizenship and the ways people participate in politics.
Political Propaganda and Media: Explores the ways governments and political organizations use propaganda to shape public opinion and gain support. Examines different forms of media, including mass media, social media, and alternative media.
Marxist/Communist History: This type of history is based on Marxist ideology, which seeks to understand historical events through the lens of class struggle and economic relations.
Liberal History: Liberal history focuses on individualism, democratic institutions, and economic freedom as key drivers of political development.
Nationalist History: Nationalist history centers on the role of nationalism as a force for unity and identity, and explores the relationship between a nation's history and its contemporary political landscape.
Postcolonial History: This type of history examines the legacy of colonialism and its impact on political development in postcolonial societies.
Feminist History: Feminist history explores how gender and power intersect, and how historical events have shaped women's political participation and rights.
Cultural History: Cultural history examines how cultural practices and beliefs affect political development and shape the course of history.
Environmental History: Environmental history studies how natural resources and the environment have impacted political development and how political decisions have impacted the environment.
Religious History: Religious history explores the relationship between religious beliefs and practices and political power, as well as how religious movements have shaped historical events.
Technological History: Technological history looks at how technological advancements and innovations have impacted political development, often exploring the role of communication, transportation, and weapons in shaping history.
Diplomatic/International History: Diplomatic history examines how international relations and diplomacy have shaped history and political development, often focusing on the actions of nation-states and international organizations.
Oral History: Oral history involves collecting and analyzing first-hand accounts of historical events, often from overlooked or marginalized perspectives.
Global/World History: Global history examines the interconnectedness of different regions and societies throughout history, often focusing on the movement of people, goods, and ideas across borders.
"(i) as abstract propositions for critical application; and (ii) in concrete terms of culture, life, and history."
"The history of ideas emerged from the European disciplines of Kulturgeschichte (Cultural History) and Geistesgeschichte (Intellectual History)."
"To develop a global intellectual history that shows the parallels and the interrelations in the history of critical thinking in every society."
"The history of reading, and the history of the book, about the material aspects of book production (design, manufacture, distribution) developed from the history of ideas."
"The concerns of intellectual history are the intelligentsia and the critical study of the ideas expressed in the texts produced by intellectuals; therein the difference between intellectual history from other forms of cultural history that study visual and non-verbal forms of evidence."
"The concept of the intellectual as a political citizen of public society dates from the 19th century."
"Anyone who explored his or her thoughts on paper can be the subject of an intellectual history."
"The Cheese and the Worms (1976), Carlo Ginzburg's study of the 16th-century Italian miller Menocchio (1532–1599) and his cosmology, falls within the genre of intellectual history..."
"The Journal of the History of Ideas is one of the flagship journals in intellectual history."