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: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 15 June 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 extends an invitation to historians who are not familiar with sensory history to embrace some of its insights and methodologies, while also urging established practitioners to reconsider their approach to writing histories of the senses.

Mark M. Smith begins by establishing that the sensorium is a historical construct, tracing the origins of historical work on the senses far before the emergence of the field now known as "sensory history." He engages in a meticulous interrogation, exploration, and in some cases, recovery of pioneering work on the topic. Smith argues that we are currently at a pivotal juncture in the writing of the history of the senses, and he elucidates the immense potential that this field holds for the study of history in general.

In addition to highlighting the strengths of current work in sensory history, Smith also identifies some of its limitations. If sensory history offers historians of various persuasions, eras, and locations a valuable and insightful way to write about the past, it also prompts established practitioners to reflect more critically on the historicity of the senses and the desirability—even the urgency—of engaged and sustained debate among themselves. By doing so, A Sensory History Manifesto invites scholars to contemplate how their field must evolve to fully realize the interpretive dividends of sensory history.

In summary, A Sensory History Manifesto is a concise yet compelling essay that serves as a valuable resource for historians of all specialties. It encourages scholars to adopt new perspectives on the study of the senses, challenges them to reconsider established methodologies, and promotes a lively and ongoing dialogue within the field. Through its insights and recommendations, this manifesto contributes to the ongoing development of sensory history and its potential to reshape our understanding of the past.

Weight: 158g
Dimension: 127 x 204 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271090184