Annales School

The Annales School was an approach to European history initially associated with the French scholarly journal Annales d'histoire économique et sociale (now called Annales. Economies, sociétés, civilisations, renamed in 1994 as Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales) cofounded by Marc Bloch and Lucien Febvre in 1929.

Annales School historians share a use of the methods of the social sciences - a remarkable innovation in the early 20th century - and a rejection of the predominant emphasis on politics, diplomacy and war of many 19th century historians; in this regard they have a common approach with all social historianss. They also pioneered an approach to a study of long-term historical structures (la longue durée) over events. Geography, material culture, and what later Annalistes called mentalities or the psychology of the epoch are also characteristic areas of study.

Fernand Braudel is perhaps the most famous exponent of this school, his works having been widely read by the general public as well as other historians.

See also: Historiography

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