Abstract This paper relates that gender as a category of historical analysis has traditionally been ignored by historians, anthropologists and sociologists. The author analyzes male and female gender roles in historical Japan. The paper concludes that gender was very flexible for males and very rigid for females.
From the Paper "Gender as a category of historical analysis has traditionally been ignored by historians, anthropologists and sociologists. When discussing gender in "Gender in a Companion to American Thought", R.W. Fox and J.T. Kloppenburg explain, "Its contemporary scholarly use dates largely from the 1970s, when path-breaking feminist scholars began to distinguish between the biological characteristics they labeled 'sex' and the attitudes, behaviors, and social structures they labeled 'gender' "(Fox and Kloppenburg 272-273). This proves that gender is a much more complicated concept then originally thought."
Abstract This paper discusses how, with the pressures of growth, Athens has made some unfortunate development decisions that have altered the landscape of the historic city. Ultimately, the pressures of residential development, economic growth and the 2004 Olympics have forced Athens to engage in a losing battle over the past century to preserve its historic and cultural beauty.This paper asserts that the city will need to make difficult planning and aesthetic decisions in order to reverse this course.
Outline:
Introduction
Residential development
Economic development
Impact of the 2004 Olympics
Conclusion: Lingering Problems and Solutions
Residential development
Economic development
From the Paper "While the polykatoikias did their part to alter for the worse the post-war Athenian skyline, there were many buildings constructed to facilitate Greek economic development that had the same effect. In truth, it is impossible to separate the polykatoikias from Greek economic development, because they were a big part of Greek industry in the decades immediately following the end of World War II. The polykatoikias were constructed by private enterprises, contractors who were receiving free land in return for constructing the buildings. But there were certainly many buildings constructed during the middle and latter portions of the 20th century that significantly modified the look and feel of Athens."
Abstract In this paper, the theory of Historical Materialism (Marxism) is applied to libertarian economic theory. The paper identifies strengths and weaknesses in libertarian theory, the weakness being failure to recognize that real-world markets are imperfect. The paper examines the implications for development of a more just society.
From the Paper "If a society is to be just, a requirement as fundamental as justice itself is that the society be able to work. That is it must function as a society in a material sense; feeding, housing, clothing, and otherwise providing for the needs and wishes of its people. If a society cannot meet these needs, it will die off or change into some other kind of society and not necessarily a just one anymore. It is therefore useless to pursue..."
Abstract Daphne Marlatt's novel, "Ana Historic", is unique in that it refuses to follow the typical novel form, a structured style of writing familiar to us all; it is after all the style we have learnt as children. However our inherited writing structure has been decided by our forefathers, men who established the English language and its writing style and in this way shaped how our thoughts and ideas must be arranged. This paper looks at how Marlatt rejects this idea of the conventional, masculine English language and along with it the boundaries that arrange and reign in our thoughts.
Abstract This paper explains that historic preservation, a major form of land use in some areas of the country, is a concerted and detailed effort of federal, state and local government. The paper then reviews the development of laws and various court decisions, which govern historic preservation. The paper relates that laws permitting the transferring of development rights are designed to clarify certain zoning laws and to ensure that certain lands and structures can be protected.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The National Historic Preservation Act
Historic Preservation" as a Major Land Use Program
Historic Landmark Protection
Constitutionality of Historic Preservation
Transfer of Development Rights
Discussion and Conclusion
From the Paper "In addition to the regulations that govern the preservation of historic sites, there also exist protections for historic landmarks. According to the National Park Service Historic landmarks are sites of historic significance that are designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they contain extraordinary worth in demonstrating the heritage of the United States. There are currently less than 2,500 historic sited that have the national distinction of Historic Landmark. In collaborations with citizens around America, the National Historic Landmarks Program utilizes the knowledge of National Park Service staff responsible for nominating new landmarks and assists established landmarks."
Abstract This paper discusses how historic preservation is taken up by smart governments in order to revitalize not only the structures, but also the economy. The state government of Florida and the local government of Tallahassee, Florida, are specified for the study by the author. The paper first identifies the role of government in devising legislation regarding historical preservation. Next, it identifies the reasons why governments should be interested in historic preservation measures. This is followed by an overview of historical preservation efforts in the state of Florida. Later, a case study of Tallahassee, Florida, is mentioned in regard to the preservation efforts keeping legislation that applies to the case study in view.
Outline
Introduction
The Role of Government
Government Interest in Historic Preservation
Historical Preservation in Florida
A Case Study of Tallahassee, Florida
Conclusion
From the Paper "The state government's role in preservation efforts is substantial. The role of government can be established by the investment made by the state into historical preservation. If the state government had not recognized the economic importance of historical preservation, no investment would have been made. This would have translated into no new creation of jobs in the state, and lower quality of life ascribed by less or no reinvestment. Thus, the importance of the role of the state government in historical preservation should not be minimized."
This paper analyzes whether or not the character of Guinevere is portrayed in a historically accurate way in Jerry Bruckheimer's 2004 film "King Arthur."
Abstract This well-researched paper examines the historical content of Bruckheimer's film which the director claims is the true story of King Arthur and his relationship with Guinevere, based on discovered archaeological facts. The writer of this paper contends and explains why this is somewhat inaccurate, due to the fact that the film is based on speculation put forward by the historian Kemp Malone in 1924. This paper focuses on the character of Guinevere as depicted in this film, while comparing it to available historical data that contradicts the director's claims. This paper discusses the difficulty of pinning down an accurate portrayal of Guinevere due to the fact that she is defined primarily by her relationship with Arthur. This paper details why the film's depiction of Guinevere and her relationship to Arthur is not necessarily based on historical fact or legend, but rather on entirely speculative historical fiction.
From the Paper "Guinevere's clothing and hands are not the only thing critics point to; they also suggest that she is being presented in a historically inaccurate way as a female warrior. In many movies it may be true that women are ahistorically buffed up - however, this is not necessarily one of those cases. While the historical Gwenhyvar is unlikely to have been a warrior, there is no historical reason to suggest that she was not a warrior. Celtic women were considered equal with the men, and many of them went into battle. An article published in Keltria: Journal of Druidism and Celtic Magic, explains how primary sources indicate that "Celtic women also took an energetic part in melee."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts historical particularism and functionalism. The paper first discusses how historical particularism was a school of thought which concentrated on a holistic historical approach to the study of cultures and civilizations, from the development of their language to their physical appearance. Historical particularists believed in concentrated study of a people and their languages to gain a full understanding on their culture. The paper then discusses functionalism and explains that it sought to be a corrective to the excesses of the evolutionary and diffusionist theories of the nineteenth-century and the historicism of the early twentieth century. Functionalism concentrated all of its resources into describing the material, psychological, physical, and social structures of a civilization. The paper concludes with a brief summary of the differences and similarities of the two schools of thought and notes that they are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
From the Paper "Historical particularism and functionalism are related in the way that they both concentrate on details and pre-existing conditions. These methods were demonstrated in the various essays by Franz Boas and A. L. Kroeber for historical particularism, and Bronislaw Malinowski and A. R. Radcliffe-Brown for functionalism. Specifically, Boas, in The Methods of Ethnology, argued against the various traditional evolutionary theories proposed by Lewis Morgan, Karl Marx, Sir Edward Tylor, and Herbert Spencer. He criticized the theory of the nineteenth-century evolutionism as non-scientific and claimed historical particularism to be free from preconceived ideas. Stating simply that these theories had a particular resilience, but lacked any sort of empirical evidence, Boas argued that the evolutionary theory was based on the counterfactual assumption that our culture was the most advanced and all others were merely following us (Boas 1920). "
Abstract This essay examines historical fiction as seen in the famous Hollywoood movie Quo Vadis. The successes and failures of the film in accurately portraying Roman history and the struggle between early Christianity and Roman society are analyzed. Through a look at real historical sources, we can see that for the most part the film is an entertaining but flawed example of the retelling of a historical event and the personalities of that time. For example, the film leads viewers to believe that this period of history was the climax of the conflict between imperial Rome and early Christianity, but in fact Nero was no worse for the Christians than many other emperors before and after his reign.
From the Paper "The characters of Marcus Vinicius and Lygia in the film are symbolic of the rift between imperial Rome and the early Christians, however, they are fictional characters and did not exist in ancient Rome. Galba was in fact the real leader who replaced Nero (he does in the film as well), but he was a seventy-year old man who only ruled for about six months before he was executed by rivals in the forum and replaced by Otho."
Abstract This essay examines historical fiction as seen in the famous Hollywood movie Spartacus. The successes and failures of the film in accurately portraying Roman history and the struggle between Spartacus and the Roman Republic are analyzed. Through a look at real historical sources, we can see that for the most part the film is an entertaining but inaccurate retelling of this historical event and the story of Spartacus? life.
From the Paper "The famous and award-winning film Spartacus was produced by Universal Pictures in 1960 and based on a popular historical novel of the same name by Howard Fast At over one-hundred seventy five minutes, it is a lengthy bit compelling viewing experience. The main characters are played by legendary Hollywood stars Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier, although a host of other renowned talents such as Charles Laughton and Tony Curtis also appear."
Abstract The paper presents a critical analysis of Blount's and Varthema's travel literature, questioning why, in light of their historically questionable content, they can be considered valid historical texts.
Outline
Background
Analysis of Ludovico di Varthema's "Itinerary"
Analysis of Sir Henry Blount's "A Voyage into the Levant"
Historical Significance of Both Texts and Their Purposes
From the Paper "Blount seeks a more academic understanding of the "Ottoman lands." Although prejudiced in the sense that it is judged and understood from the perspective of the "other," it does provide a simple framework for understanding or defining Muslims. He begins by stating this established rule: "the most important parts of all States are four: arms, religion, justice and moral customs," and explains the presence and nature of each among Muslims and in Muslims lands (Blount 177). Certainly, di Varthema does include in his descriptions accounts of the morals, law, religion and defense but, they cannot be taken as serious representation of the truth because they are so exaggerated."
Abstract This paper studies historical detection, the use of modern technology and advanced psychological techniques to shed additional light on historical occurrences. Based on the book "After the Fact: the Art of Historical Detection" by J.W. Davidson and M.H. Lytle, the paper applies modern psychology and medicine to the examination of the witchcraft scare in the late seventeenth century in New England.
From the Paper "Later, social historians studied the everyday activities and commerce of the villagers in the area, using records indicating land ownership and places of residence. They found that at the time, some of the inhabitants of the original Old Town Salem had moved to outlying areas and were setting up another village, incurring the animosities of their neighbors. This explanation is dramatically confirmed when a map is used showing the location of the various persons known to have been involved in the cases: the accusers, the defenders and the accused. It was revealed that those accused of being witches and those who accused them lived on opposite ends of the town. Those who defended the accused lived closest to them, and can be presumed to be friends and neighbors. A study of the politics of the region confirms further that financial interests of the villagers were affected by the efforts of some to move out of the village and begin a settlement of their own. These historians believe that this could explain the intensity of the feelings of animosity that culminated in death for some of the accused witches. In the case of the activities of Salem, a contemporary study of historical documents viewed from a perspective of modern education in the fields of medicine, socio-political dynamics and religious studies has uncovered the answer to a question that has puzzled historians for more than two centuries."
A discussion of misplaced and weakened historicity in two modernist postmodern Novels: Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" and Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses."
Abstract This paper describes historicity in post-modern fiction as yielding a sense of radical disjunction or of combinations of events that do not take place either chronologically or in terms of historical veracity. It discusses examples of historicity in two modernist postmodern novels - Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" and Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man".
From the Paper "In Farishta's hallucinations, as Rushdie implies, his dream-images of the Prophet Muhammad offer him, in the latter years of the 2oth century, no modern day comfort. Controversial portions of The Satanic Verses, including this one, examine, in fragmented post-modern fashion, the imagined (by this troubled fictional character) the roots of a belief system, Islam, that within this character's hallucinations are not what they are historically; theologically; and traditionally believed to be. Here, therefore, Rushdie playfully "rewrites" Islamic history, in the form(s) of far-fetched dreams of an unstable and unreliable character. Farishta hallucinates, among other things that the wives of the Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, moonlight as prostitutes, and that Muhammad himself is (in Farishta's strange dreams) but a "for profit" Prophet."
Abstract This paper discusses four fundamental reasons for researching the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth, and why this is particularly important today. The author explains from a Christian viewpoint that the ways Christians think, worship, and practice must be explicitly related to the Jesus of Nazareth who actually lived in Palestine. The author provides the historical background for the ongoing controversy about Jesus' life, and suggests that Christians need to use all available tools for historical analysis in order to actualize Jesus for the Church and its opponents today.
From the Paper "In the post-modern world of today, much of humanity demands factuality that is based upon empirically-corroborated and observed scientific theory. Over the last few centuries, scientific thought and method have fundamentally altered humankind's understanding of our surroundings by demonstrating that everything around us is governed by certain naturalistic and physical laws. Such fundamental changes in our understanding of reality have come into direct conflict with many previous notions inherent within Christian doctrines and teachings."
This essay reviews and compares two pieces of historical fiction, the novel "Middle Passage", by Charles Johnson, and the short story "Birds with No Feet," by Andrea Barrett.
Abstract This essay analyzes the excellent skills of two authors who write historical fiction in very diverse ways. A thorough review and discussion is offered of how the novel "Middle Passage" by Charles Johnson provides a metaphor for the torturous voyage of humans from freedom to slavery. Similarly, Alex, in Andrea Barrett's story "Birds with No Feet" learns about his lack of self-knowledge through his scientific explorations. The implication of both voyages is that through the exploration of such historical fiction, readers can learn about themselves and their place among voyagers on the sea of humanity.
From the Paper "Middle Passage, by Charles Johnson, is a personal adventure story in which narrative is applied to history. Through his telling of the exciting tale of Rutherford Calhoun's personal odyssey, Johnson succeeds not only in combining compelling fictional adventure, and historical background, but in evincing closure and new meaning from his material. Johnson actually turns his fictionalized version of the historical horrors of slavery into a profound study of the how humans come to self knowledge when they are least looking for it."
