Volume 2 / Athens 2000 "Pathways to Modern Greek History: History Books from the Post Junta Period until Today" Athens, 29 November - 8 December 1999 by Pelagia Marketou What are the characteristics of recent works of historiography in modern and contemporary Greek history? What research interests and what theoreticaI and methodological pursuits did the development of modern Greek historicaI studies respond to in the last twenty-five years? These are questions which led to the realisation of the exhibition entitled "Pathways to Modern Greek History: History Books from the Post Junta Period untiI Today'" presented by Historein together with the National Book Centre, which was held in Athens from the 29th of November tiII the 8th of December 1999. The writing of history books became a prominent field of research for both trends in historiography and issues which occupied the scientific community of historians during the last twenty five years. Interest focussed on studies that, firmly grounded on the research of archive material, approached modern Greek history from the early period of Ottoman and Latin suzerainty until the post-World War 11 years in a systematic methodological and theoretical way. On the other hand, the period following the fall of the dictatorship in 1974 was considered an appropriate period in time as far as the production of mainstream Greek historio-graphy is concerned. This being so, because following the transition in state politics, it became possible for investigations into modern Greek history to finaIIy bear fruit. These investigations were first formulated at around the time of the Second World War and the decades that foIIowed it. Indeed, if the post-war decades are marked by the publication of the first works of systematic research in modern Greek history, mainly carried out in research centres outside Greece, the post-Junta decades are characterised by the blossoming of modern Greek historical studies within Greece and by the formation of a community of historians around research and archive centres, historical magazines, archives and universities. We are thus dealing with an exhibition of works of history which retrospectively displayed Greek historiography from this period. This exhibition was structured around two central lines: historical periods and the chronological horizon upon which the publication of every study was recorded. The various fields of research in historiography and the main debates which fueIIed it were presented in respective unities. This method of presentation aimed at identifying both the continuities and the shifts in recent research on modern Greek history, as weII as the theoretical and methodological tools adopted each time. An approach such as this could not but bring out the multitude of approaches which were adopted in the study of Neo-HeIIenic history. It stretches from the historiographical school of the Greek Enlightenment and the history of 'consciousness' to the particular interest in economic and social history, as it was expressed in recent approaches to the history of the Ottoman period. It also includes the study of nationalism; of minorities; of the modern Greek political system and the incorporation of the contemporary Greek state into the web of international political and diplomatic relations; the social and economic history of 19th and 20th centuries; the study of the construction of gender identities; the history of childhood. Finally, Greek historiography has expanded and covered recent periods of Greek history, i.e. the 1940s, the Civil War and the post-war years. Besides, the fertile communication between historical studies and the related fields of political science, of sociology and social anthropology characterised the decades following the dictatorship and in order to display it relative studies from these fields whose main interest centred on history were included in the exhibition. Furhermore, one of its main objectives was the creation of a platform for dialogue on the recent Greek historiography - of a dialogue as much within the community of historians as with the wider public. Thus, the exhibition of history books was accompanied by parallel events [conferences]**. Firstly, S. Asdrachas, Chr. Agriantoni, A. Liakos and R. Benveniste discussed about "Greek Historiography during the period 1975-2000". The reception to historical research by education was discussed in the second conference by E. Avdela, Chr. Veikou, G. Bafounis and G. Sbiliris. Finally, H. White gave a lecture entitled "History as Expectation and Fulfillment". It is plain to see from the above that the way this exhibition attempted to present the modern Greek historiography was not merely a presentation of the historical knowledge accumulated in recent decades. At any rate, every presentation is also a first reading and this is exactly what this book exhibition had hoped to do. Return to Top