The French Revolution Book

This text is useful as an exploration of different methodologies/approaches to the study of history. Some of the assumptions made in Kates's introduction read as very dated for 21st century academic study though this is understandable considering it was written in 1998. The self-importance of the historian focused on France reads as part of the death knell of late 20th century academia and can be connected with the ways in which the humanities have desperately been trying to reinvent themselves in the early 21st century. Some of the essays make for interesting reading - particularly Part IV with the focus on gender and (post)colonial study. Overall, this is a good text for anyone looking for an overview of some of the key controversies of historical discourse in the mid to late 20th century. If you're not interested in the study of the French Revolution, it can still serve as a useful resource for examples of different lenses with which to view (Euro-centric)history.