Toward Eclecticism: Mapping Sarkar with Other Macrohistorians

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By Johan Galtung
Johan Galtung, Professor of Peace Studies and Alternate Nobel Prize Winner, Norway
(Johan Galtung, Professor of Peace Studies and Alternate Nobel Prize Winner, Norway)
Macrohistorians, twenty forces Motrices

In Towards Electicism, Professor of Peace Studies Johan Galtung is less concerned with Sarkar's particular contributions and more with mapping Sarkar with other grand thinkers. He argues that macro-historians have shaped our entire way of conceiving of ourselves, in History. They have mapped us on trajectories with the most intriguing curve shapes even if the linear and the cyclical tend to dominate. Giants as they are, there is always the temptation to yield to any one of them, like people in occident (and not only there) have done to Smith and Marx. There is the temptation to adopt the biblical approach and see their main work as The Book as the book.

In his essay, Galtung does not take that approach, rather, he sees that there is much to be learned from all the macro-historians. And even more to be learned by seeing their works, not as the end of the story, but as the beginning of a dialogue between these great thinkers. Here Galtung extends their works by taking us on a journey of juxtaposition - positing what ten great macro-historian might have taught, and learnt from, each other. For, according to Galtung, 'greatness can be shared: there is much room at the top of Mt. Olympus.' [Source: Transcending Boundaries Edited by Dr. Sohail Inayatullah & Jennifer Fitzgerald]

"Sarkar is so much deeper and more imaginative than most .... He is an intellectual giant of our times." ~ Johan Galtung
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This page contains a single entry by puadmin published on March 28, 2006 11:11 AM.

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