From: danny@cs.su.oz.au (Danny Yee)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.books.reviews,rec.arts.books,alt.books.reviews,soc.history,sci.anthropology,alt.sci.sociology
Subject: Book Review - The Invention of Tradition
Followup-To: soc.history,sci.anthropology
Date: 10 Aug 1995 01:27:35 MET
Organization: Basser Dept of Computer Sciece, Uni of Sydney, Australia
Originator: brock@ucsub.colorado.edu
title: The Invention of Tradition
edited: Eric Hobsbawm + Terence Ranger
publisher: Cambridge University Press 1992 [1983]
subjects: history, history of ideas
other: 322 pages, index, A$17.95
Many practices which are considered traditional are in fact quite
recent inventions, often deliberately constructed to serve particular
ideological ends. _The Invention of Tradition_ is a collection of
articles on the construction of symbolic and ceremonial traditions
over the last couple of centuries, particularly by the British.
Most of the included pieces are around fifty pages long, allowing
for quite expansive treatment of their subject. They are all of high
quality and _The Invention of Tradition_ is an important collection
of work, which will interest both historians and those interested in
the history of ideas.
Hugh Trevor-Roper describes the creation of the Scottish "Highland" tradition -- I was astounded to discover that the kilt was invented by an Englishman in 1730, while the so called "clan tartans" are a nineteenth century invention! In a similar vein (though without any revelations quite so surprising), Prys Morgan traces the development of Welsh national traditions during the Romantic period. David Cannadine's piece is quite topical, given the move towards a republic in Australia: he explains how most of the ceremonial associated with the British monarchy, which is often assumed to be of great antiquity, has in fact been constructed since 1870.
Moving away from Britain itself to British imperialism and colonialism, Bernard Cohn writes about the creation of new forms of authority in India, with special attention on the Imperial Assemblage of 1876, and Terence Ranger about the transplantation of Western traditions and the creation of entirely new "native" ones by colonial authorities in Africa (and the later re-use of these traditions by ethnic and nationalist movements). The final chapter, by Hobsbawm himself, surveys the development of mass traditions in Europe up to the First World War -- the festivals, holidays, monuments, stamps, sports and schools associated with nationalism, the labour movement, and the rising middle classes.
--
%T The Invention of Tradition
%E Eric Hobsbawm
%E Terence Ranger
%I Cambridge University Press
%C Cambridge
%D 1992 [1983]
%O paperback, index, A$17.95
%G ISBN 0-521-43773-3
%P vi,322pp
%K history, history of ideas
Danny Yee (danny@cs.su.oz.au)
6 August 1995
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Copyright (c) 1995 Danny Yee | 230 reviews available at
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