Contemporary Challenges to Historical Studies: In Search of a "Humanistic History" in an Era of Global Crisis

Abstract

This paper explores the possibility of a ”humanistic history” as part of a new historical thinking in an era of global crisis. It supports New Humanism emphasizing intercultural dialogue, one the one hand, and unity in difference, on the other. The key concepts in this new historical thinking are ”connection” and complementarity of reason and compassion, the finest and the most humane form of emotion that brings sensitivity to reasoning. There is a need to incorporate refinement of ideas and methods in both humanism and history and to make adjustments, if necessary, in the dominant metaphysics governing modernist intellectual thinking. It is suggested that the four-fold logical system of traditional India, wider in scope than the existing one in Western rationality, may be fruitfully applied to address historical problems. The paper discusses, in the end, the nature of humanistic history with reference to three issues: a) the question of connected history, b) trauma and suffering- how emotive issues like catastrophic historical experiences could be incorporated in professional historical studies, and c) some contemporary social problems in India and the importance of dialogue to curb alienation.