Sensory History Manifesto

A Sensory History Manifesto is a call to action for historians to adopt new approaches to writing about the senses and to consider the historical formation of the sensorium. It highlights the strengths of current work in sensory history while identifying its shortcomings and encourages scholars to think about how their field can evolve to realize the full potential of sensory history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 08 July 2021
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

A Sensory History Manifesto is a thought-provoking and timely exploration of the current state of the field. It serves as an invitation for historians who are not familiar with sensory history to embrace some of its insights and methodologies, while also encouraging current practitioners to rethink their approach to writing histories of the senses.

Mark M. Smith begins by establishing that the sensorium is a historical formation, tracing the origins of historical work on the senses far before the emergence of the field known as "sensory history." He critically interrogates, explores, and in some cases resurrects pioneering work on the topic, challenging the conventional narratives and methodologies employed in the field.

Smith argues that we are currently at a pivotal point in the writing of the history of the senses, emphasizing the potential that this field holds for the study of history in general. He highlights the strengths of current work in sensory history while also identifying some of its limitations. By providing historians of all persuasions, periods, and places with a valuable and insightful way to engage with the past, sensory history also poses significant challenges to practitioners. It prompts them to reflect more carefully on the historicity of the senses and the importance of engaging in sustained and meaningful debates among themselves.

In essence, A Sensory History Manifesto serves as a call to action for scholars to consider how the field of sensory history can evolve to fully realize its interpretive dividends. It encourages historians to think critically about the past, to challenge conventional narratives, and to explore new and innovative ways of understanding and communicating the experiences of the past.

Concise and compelling, A Sensory History Manifesto is a must-read for historians across all specialties. It offers valuable insights and methodologies that can enhance our understanding of the past and inspire us to engage with history in fresh and exciting ways.

Weight: 260g
Dimension: 134 x 210 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271090177