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History and Theory 52 (Ma 2013), 265-277 © Wsan Univsi 2013 ISSN: 0018-2656

PoSSIbIlItIeS IN “A thoroUghly hIStorIcAl World”:

MISSINg hAydeN WhIte’S MISSed coNNectIoNS

Hayden WHite: tHe Historical imagination. b hman Pau. cami, UK:

Pi Pss, 2011. Pp. viii, 204.

AbStrAct

tis ai asssss hman Pau’s inua iap f han Wi, ms

impan fiu in pisp f is f pas af nu. offin a a v-

viw f Wi’s a an niuin, Pau’s aun ps nia fm

1950s psn, isinuisin pass f Wi’s a, u nvinin pin-

pinin an aiin f nns aun an xisniais an iainis umanism.

In a i, Wi su sw wa n isiapia aism m inn-

vaiv appas—ia sv pssiv piis. Pau ns, wv, a Wi

fai nn wi ms mainsam isians, an Pau’s aun is n suffiin

pin an iia xp uf. In, fwin Wi, Pau is pn ak

Wi’s paiua iainis ana as n anaiv a nsvaiv, passiv

aism—an ss v anaiv was f nivin psais uuaspa. Mv, Pau fais n Wi’s nn smims imp a mainsam

is aims m an i s, an smims nia pjuiia wa i in

fa s, u . Au mu f Wi’s an u av n spia

saua, n wa misaaizains a fs paizain in isia

isipin an inf pjuiia unsanins f isiap in wi uu.

Pau’s vviw pvis a usfu, an in man was xmpa, inuin Wi’s

a, u i is fnia pvi a nvinin va iia assssmn.

Keywords: han Wi, isiap, pisp f is, umanism, mnis

vns, paia pas

han Wi’s impan as a is pisp f is a quis

mmn. In s fiv as as a minan fiu, in isi-

apia a an niu sinifian umanisi isussin m

na. his Metahistory (1973) as su n ms wi isuss

wk n isiap sin r. g. cinw’s The Idea of History (1946),

an xpan is aumn susania in numus ssas af.

Au su , an pv , pvaiv, was nv m

iasi umun, an is aisma an nain psnai su u-ss is infun. Nw w in is iis, an ss si in sn,

Wi is aa suj f a nsia iau. bu hman Pau’s nw

k is fis amp a a fu inua iap min wi an v-

viw f Wi’s aivmn.

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david d. roberts266

Pau k is a a Univsi f gninn in Nans

in 2006. on f is mns was Fank Anksmi, wi sn as an a f

Wi’s, an Pau’s k is as pa n is inviws wi Wi imsf.

S Pau wis as an insi. Au aiss qusins an pinpins nsins,

ffs ms a smpai xsis—n a is, up a pin, qui ffiv

in aiuain asis f Wi’s npis. t aun is aiv if, u

i is a an suin s manas v a f un.

Pau aks a nia appa, wi pvs usfu, fis, aun f

Wi’s vuin u isinuisa sas—nmpassin xisniaism

in 1960s, suuaism in 1970s, naaivism in 1980s, fiua aism

in 1990s, an n is n wk n “ paia pas.” bu is appa

as nas Pau in u aiin f nns in Wi’s inkin,

un up wi an xisniais an iainis umanism. Wa as n a

issu, Pau nvinin insiss, is n pimai pism aami is-

u “w iv a ma spnsi if in a u isia w”

(12). Si, Wi was awas p nn wi uua isia

inqui as m pa an wi swin wa m vai, an m

uua snan, appas—ia sv pssiv piis an uman

sf-minain.

tis sm qui, ms asia, anin wa uns as “a” in

nmpa si, spia as uss nvnins f mainsam

isiap. S Wi nsisn qusin isiapia “aism,”

nin a isians “psn ai,” puin an aun a spns

wi wa aua appn. dnin a a naaiv xiss in ai,

Wi insis a is is nsu in anua, a nin a spia

sm invi a wi aa f appas. Pau summaizs k mv

ni: “ov aains s insisin a isian’s knw mus match

isia ai, Wi aim a knw makes ai, a, a

wa uns as isia ai is a pu f isian’s anua” (94-95).

t sam pi pss is invv in fusin vns, w a imaina

a, an isians an nviss a qua f s amn vaius

ms f fiuaiv anua (90). on w asp u aiv in nsuin

is, w an ask wi aun f ai s ins u ivin (95).

duin 1990s Wi pinn wn is siaum in unin spia

nau f wa a “mnis vns,” wi haus paaimai.

ts, au, paiua sis aisi naaiv an nvnina ms

f isia unsanin. As Pau pus i, is m n ninn-

nu ais nv is inaqua nmpass Sain hi (131). y vn

as mnis vns a in qusin an amp nw m wi manin,

as a saw v u apai n, nvisin a fuu f f i

iiain ffs (138). t pin, Wi sss, is n a s vns an-

n psn u a niqus iffn fm s m n aisi

aism a nssa.

Fm wiin a famwk Wi am pa a pmium n “ mi

vi,” “inansiiv wiin,” wi as as mu wi pms f p-

snain as wi vns msvs (134-135). t pin, wv, is n

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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 267

a s a niqus f nvnina isians an. on na, i

sms ik a winss simn, ik Pim lvi’s, ffs a wi

pms f in an ansmissin, ik A Spiman’s in Maus, wi

ninu m ss pviin an apppia aun f mnis vns

(137-138).

In is susqun wk Wi ai aumn fu in aapin a is-

inin fm Mia oaks ava a fuu-in “paia pas,” as

pps m nvnina “isia pas,” a wi mnis vns.

t paia pas is “paia” pis aus, as Pau pus i, “i is nn

n wi knw, u wi a paia qusin f wa mus n wi

‘uns’ a pp av invunai ini” (146). rsisin s f

manin a naaivs pvi, i is n xamps, mmis, an n

imas a simua aiv, ma spnsi ain.

F “isia pas,” in nas, pmium is n u, wi n sm

v puaiv mus isins, pusu f is wn sak. I is simp

aains f wa appn a, in as f haus, ma pvk

an nmnain u a pv si f ma spns in ain. Wi

a mnis vn, qusin is n “is i u?” u w iv wi i, w

pvn i fm appnin aain (145-148). An i is u “mnis”

appas sisin naaivizain an npuaizain a w a ms

apppia mnans f a pas a ninus if us (148).

In is si pin n aism, Wi pvaiv insis a is-

ia inpain nai n n fiuaiv anua u m-makin an

fiin-makin. y Pau maks a a Wi was n ui f m -

ius psiins smims aiu im, spia mainsam isians

ninuin insis n aism sn spnn. Ms asia, vn

as fau wa isians mp i sis jus as nviss , Wi

mainain isinin wn is an fiin an insis a w av

iia nssa mak quaiaiv isinins in isiap (68, 98).

Avain “ isia suim” in a n ai f 1982, Wi was p-

vaiv in a iffn wa in auin n n Nizs, hi, an vn

“ inuiins f hi an Mussini,” u as Iaian fasis pisp

givanni gni.1 bu aain Pau fns Wi, nw aains as f sip-

pinss ain fasism an aiaianism, nin Wi’s nn wi

nin an f . If anin, sas Pau, Wi fun m “suim”

ms f naaiv nssa a m ff (123-124). h, wv, Pau’s

fns ma n saki un, a pin wi w wi un.

evn as fns Wi f ms pa, Pau is ain wiin qus-

in, iiiz, an inia nsins in is inkin, na pikin up n wa

s, inuin s smpai Wi, a pinpin ai. Pau ns,

f xamp, a Wi n wa sp in aaizin rank’s

nain f isians (94). evn as fns Wi aains sana

a f uin is an fiin, Pau sms impii iiiz Wi

1. han Wi, “t Piis f hisia Inpain: disipin an d-Suimain”

(1982), in han Wi, The Content of the Form: Narrative Discourse and Historical Representa-

tion (baim: Jns hpkins Univsi Pss, 1987), 74-75.

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david d. roberts268

as aws a nas wi luis Mink, w, Pau ns, k a a

mainain isinin (91). Fu, u Wi ninu insis n is

xisniais umanism, Pau aus a was au up in a nuin nsin

wn fm f uman suj an aunm f anua—an

us nsain anua (77, 79-80, 104). tis paiua nsin is spia

w knwn, pinpin ni Wi’s a hans Kn as a.2 In

fina w paaaps, Pau, sm xn fwin davi haan, aiss

(if vius) qusins vn au Wi’s xisniais umanism an vun-

aism (152).

Mu f Wi’s an as su n saua, an Pau ivs us a as

an appxima sns f w. Ms asia, Wi invis paiin is-

ians an i pnia auin in wi uu ink m p au

wa win isis , n , an mi as w ajus, in Pau’s ms,

“a u isia w.” In pain up aiv f isian,

Wi mps isians pn an f s mi pa an

ass an impiains f is mak. M paiua, usfu

fs us p in pa f psn nns, an sp f m va-

i, an m ia inf nns, in suuin isia inqui an

spia isia in.

Pau assias Wi wi Mink’s nin a “sis a n iv u ”

(114), an i mi sm fw a isians su as s if as

iv as pssi. ta s f impaiv mi sm ms wi Wi’s

pmium n uain us isninui (38), wi, in un, mi sus a

pmium n isupin mainsam naaiv unsanin. cminin w,

w mi aiv a ca ginzu’s pivi n n iv xpin u

wa was mainaiz, wa i n iv n, min pa f psss

a pu u psn.3

bu Wi wan m aia psnis an ginzu an s

nn wi “wa is a a.” In, usfu insiss, in a qu pas-

sa, a i is a misnpin isinuis “isia anasis” fm “psn

xpin,” as if is is au pas as pps psn (107). S

au an inqui ik ginzu’s su nai ma mmimn an a

psn ffs, i was si, in a sns, suin pas f is wn sak, uin

isia unsanin ff fm psnis uss Wi nvisin.

As pps m isupin ais naaivs, Wi an sp

f nsuin u wn psais naaivs—puin m in a wa

a svs psn ma ain. A sam im, was a nn wi

sus an nau f psn ans, wi wu sus n fus

n psss a pu u psn, vn as pps iv xpin.

bu as u a fain up isninui an as wu f us f

2. hans Kn, “A bk f o: han Wi’s linuisi humanism” (iina pu-

is in History and Theory, Beiheft 19 [dm 1980], 1-29), in hans Kn, Language and

Historical Representation: Getting the Story Crooked (Maisn: Univsi f Wisnsin Pss,

1989), 193-227.

3. Ki luia an rmu ganf, “ca ginzu: An Inviw,” Radical History Review

35 (1986), 104-106.

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m aiv an affimaiv was f unsanin u pa in is. S

wa s Wi’s psnism nai? W in nun unainis a

u Pau’s amn.

Infunia u Wi as n, Pau ns a inasin un fm

isia isipin na ams xusiv wi s m s

a is iain pj (149). b 1980s, a m pa m

p in nviss an fim is an in pfssina isians (80). S

spi is swa amn pisps f is an ia in isi-

ans, Wi’s qus f a m snan uua f is-wiin sms n

av a impa nvisin. An w mus ask w Pau pinpins

w, w is xsis, fai-min u i is, is suffiin pin an

iia.

Pau is pn fw Wi in impin a, if w a a n naaiv

xiss in isia ai an a w av a puai f pins, Wi’s

paiua iainis ana fws. bu ak su iain as n

anaiv a aism psvin saus qu is ss v m nuan

pssiiiis. Pu iffn, k is niz sp f iiism f

Wi fm wiin a famwk a aps—an in mas—mu f

wa psis, sain wi is psais mpasis n nsuin in anua

an is insisn n sp f i un up wi psn ma n-

ns. cnvs, i is uia a a uns f jin na asps

Wi’s pam wiu paiin nvnina aism.4

Smims Wi sm nvisin a m f ain is a wu

iv us fm askin nvnina isia qusins a. h wi

a isia-minnss nfs a spius aui n ais fm pas,

makin m sm nssa an jusifi, niin us psn.

bu as ss i, nvnina isiap as is ff spia aus

i aks naaiv fm, wi sms pvi ninui, mpnss, an

su (115). tus Pau ns a “if naaiv as n an ns

p an ins f aua vpmn a an u upus an

aks, i favs nsvaism a an sia pssiv piis Wi

f mmi ” (113). In sam nx Pau invks Nan Pan, w

ink naaiv sia saii an uis sis f .

tis nw-famiia aumn au naaiv as sm f, spia insfa

as isians in aism, u Wi n vsa i, impuin Wi-

is vn hian nnis mainsam. evn isians w insis

n aism n nssai pu naaivs a psi a assuin ninu-

i aim mpnss. An vn wiu mnis amixus

piviin f isninuiis a Wi ava, isia inqui an uns

nvnin an aiin. cnvs, in awa a w n n ap

psn um f is s n man a w n m un fm i,

in i. ta is n iain. I is if w not ask isia qusins a w

a nsain, unknwin, nvnin an aiin.

4. I av ma sm f sam aumn in davi d. rs, Nothing but History: Reconstruction

and Extremity after Metaphysics (bk: Univsi f caifnia Pss, 1995), 254-262. (Avaia

in a pin iin wi a nw au’s inuin [Aua, co: t davis gup, 2007].)

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david d. roberts270

Wi’s insisn a, as a a f isian’s nsuiv ,

isia auns nai fiin m (94, 113) ma simia nai v-

samn, an w mus nsi sp f makin ssnia pin in

ss pvaiv ms. In usin su ms, Wi mi iniia sm

xnin is iiism f mainsam isiap, as if “fiina” mn

suss inaqua faiu. bu fm is pspiv, mnsain -

mn f m is saua, fis in unsnin “msifin” mainsam

aun, u n as in inviin m imainaiv, puaiv m iainis

appas. An aim “u” sms ams nm aus i impis

ais spnn an us mpnss an su a pas-

siv apan. Mv, Wi sm assum a u is un up wi

isinsnss, was a m snan isiap quis pis

ppsi, an v psnis ia-piia impus. bu was ssin v

qusins au w ma spns, ain, isia inqui, an vn anin

an u mi m .

Wi’s wa f invkin fiin fs a siua aism, an mn

a in min is n m-makin if w un fm aism in a m ius

wa. In a qu passa, fs naaiv n as “ius” (113), u

“ius” ain wa sana? W invk an su sana in fis

pa? t nin a “sis a n iv u ” w nvs unu

ap wn xpin an isia aun nsu naaiv. bu

s a vius w iffn ins. t fa a w n xpin i as

“is” as w iv i s n man a makin is u f i a is sm

s f mia impsiin— a i svs “uis” ns f an

saii.

In fa, mu f Wi pins wa a m ius psais unsan-

in, spia if w a ajusin “a u isia w.” ovius,

as ann ma fu , u Pau mi ais qusins an n

pssiiiis in pu. t pin is n simp a an pns f m-

pnss an su is sifin; n is i a, as fini inquis, w ann qui

aiv mpnss an su, wi, wv, main impaivs, paps

appa asmpia. cmpnss an su in “a u

isia w” a ia inniva, pa aus su a w is v-

pvisina, u as aus w u n pssi pu vin a

mi fiu in ai f isia auns. An aun is un

inmp an pn-n. W m niz sns in wi is n

wa i “aua appn,” n wa i “a was” a w an vn niv f,

an n in a isia naaiv, u a infini was i a

wasn’.

bu mpnss an su a n wa w n in an as, especially

insfa as, wi Wi, w wan a isiap a svs psn ma pu-

ps an ain. ra an masu u fini, isia spifi auns

aains an inniva sana, w mi un in iin an

asp s auns pa, u pa. W m unsan

sns in wi w av, an av, wa w n. An w s w w

n n in aism a ff niiism an aivism.

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Pau ns a au Wi saw Mink an Anksmi as ais, Wi

a iffn asns—ma an piia as pps pismia—f

mpasizin a “sis a n iv u ” (115-116). h vau ma

impus fun in ppfssina isians ik Mi an tquvi an

ask w w, , su n wi is in a wa m nun wi u

ma nviins (60, 77). bu in aaizin Wi’s psiin vis-à-vis Mink

an Anksmi, Pau isinuiss wn ia-piia an pismia

in a imiin, uaisi wa. cu n a nnin wn ia-

piia san a Wi sss an qusin f u-vau pa a issu

f pism?

t qusin is w isia inqui an sv ain vm sm

suan f is s fa, xpin as a un, an p sap

fuu. t unsan wa a un nais, w n an w i am as

i is. Mv, in usvs f ain, w n nsu a true un-

sanin, as pps n a is m ifin asia pasin—

vn ma psna usfu n sm uns. S i is pis ma

ins, un up wi sp f fuu-in ain, a pns an-

in an u.

Is is sa a sp f anin an u uns u nai spn-

n af a? N if w ajus a psais famwk fm wiin wi

is wak fm f u s n man spnn in anin ik usua

sns. Wa sus fm an inqui pn anin wi n the u s, in

sns f aivin an inmpnsi wnss mpnss, u i an

a u s, a wa f fiin pis a iuminas sm asp

f psn swin w i am .

Smin ik Wi’s pfiuin an vaius sais f mpmn

a f us ssnia nsuin f naaiv, u pnnss

anin is isiv vaia. Fm , isipina sanas su pa a

, u f pnnss anin an u wi aff wa is f

isipin winnw u.

Wi’s wa f aaizin spia ans f “mnis vns”

spia manifss is nn fam pssiiiis in imi, uais-

i ms. t a wi an vn ik haus, insis, w mus aw

ak fm naaiv isf, aus i wu umaniz an a n fanasis

f wnss an a a v un f vn nis. 5 h wn

n au a was aiina psnain is nssai fisizin,

“mnis niqus f psnain pvi pssiii f fisizin

vns an fanas auns f m wi n a ps

in v pss f pnin psn m aisia. . . .”6 bu vn

if su a “fisizin” is n issu, Wi fun naaiv inn

inaqua in i f an mnis vns imps: “tin a s,

wv ufu, au su aumai vns mi v w pvi a kin f

inua mas f anxi a mm f i un ma ini in

5. han Wi, “t Mnis evn” (1996), in han Wi, Figural Realism (baim:

Jns hpkins Univsi Pss, 1999), 81.

6. Ibid ., 82.

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david d. roberts272

an iniviua a mmuni. bu pis insfa as s is inifia as

a s, i an pvi n asin psi mas f su vns.”7

Wn Wi inks nvnina isia amns f haus wi

“fisizin” fanasis f wnss an a, w aain fin impiain

f passiv apan, as if unsanin w i appn maks i a i,

a as m paaa. evn if w f an nmnain, w a n

simua ma spns in ain a Wi nvisin. tus is insis-

n a iv a ma if wi n, in saw f Auswiz, w

qui a paia pas as pps a isia pas (145, 148). dpnin

im, au a u, ink isia pas, pains simp

aain, was, in Pau’s summa ms, “ paia pas pfs a-

naiv, nn-aaiv ms, aus i is nn n wi knw, u

wi a paia qusin f wa mus n wi ‘uns’ a pp av

invunai ini” (146).

bu im is pjuiia aus “fuua” inain Wi pau-

si ava is n imi paia pas u an—an mus—nai

isia unsanin. In, aff pivi anaivs appas

as if w nssa resist isia aun, nn wi u an

knw, as if an su nn nsiu an aua sa , a s a

isain fm, ma spns. Wa u sk sw insa is w u

an knw mi mpmn ma spns in ain. Au

a s au haus— fasism an mnis vn—pvis n

“lasting psi mas,” wav a mi man in an v-pvisina

w, i an pvi pis inain f psn ma ain a Wi

nvisin.

Invia, Wi a a ain ia f w haus appn.

W i a ia m fm? Av a, ink Nazism an haus

mnsus, unn w f nia mni (131).8 hw

i knw a was , wa was ms uns? Su wu

wan ask sm isia qusins assss imp f a imnsin, in

mpaisn wi wav s.

In skin xmina Jws an s, Nazis n an us

mn n in a ain wa, wi is wa mus uns. A

sam im, f mn n mus assss ansi nv

imnsins, inuin Rausch (ain) a Sau Fiän as fau, n

mnin “w-,” up-s kiin a w av n n un

ina in u va unsanin.

Wi as aim a vns ik haus sis aiina is-

ian’s ff a kin f mpa a wu na us viw vn fm

insi, fm ppas’ pspiv.9 t a imis, su, u

isia auns bwnin, Mmmsn, Ksaw, lni, bau, g-

a, Fizs, Kün, an s sw w nia ff w fm

Nazi aiaizain, an w an aa f ppas u in va Nazi

7. Ibid ., 81.

8. Ibid ., 82.

9. Ibid ., 80-81.

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visin, fin msvs paiipain in smin anis. S wa i

a visin nai, w i i m fm, an w i i x f i i?

Su w ninu pn isia aun, su w simp assum

a w aa knw wa haus was—smin au mn -

n—an a n qusin is “paia” n f w a wi i?

Mv, is aa aun isians av ivn us a is-

miss as a m fisizin “fanas” a nis a haus

pss? cain unsanin isia w haus appn s

n ni us i na us un fm i, n uns a nw w s

w i u av appn. on na, p isia unsanin

maks i m iffiu, pa aus w unsan a were isia

asns, u pv f nvnina unsanins ik Wi’s

wn. ta is w wa w av ms n as n nw sa an np-

uaizain, ansa in isia naaivs, as pps nv mnis

niqus f psnain fixain n n imas.

Pau s us a mnis vns a in qusin an amp nw

m wi manin (138), u is n aim a anin w haus

appn isia aks us a wa sm s f ansnna san-

in “Manin” a affs “Unsanin.” Si, u isia un-

sanin, w mak a kin f pvisina manin f haus f us, wi

ais w n Wi’s an n u-f-n n u inus

nin psss, pssiiiis, an ans a su in nn us, as

i Wi, an a w an unsan unsanin

haus as n um f Nazism.

tis is n n a haus as nsiu a upu in u sns f

mapsss in wi w a au up, in u sns f wa u

nai. bu i is su pssi unsan haus both as su a upu

an, n a iffn v, as suj isia unsanin u a ninu-

us naaiv. W iv wi nsin. Wi Wi’s impaivs, wv, w

miss n f naaiv an wa i mi us au s nin

psss, pssiiiis, an ans.

A sam im, nn f is is n a a an appas usi

nvnina isiap av a maj in ain wi su mnis

vns. of us w n wks ik Spiman’s Maus lvi’s mmi f

Auswiz, ffin iffn ans n haus an ain pms

f psnain isf. Mia su spnss av m pa f mix,

man in ins nvnina is s n, an nv u, n ma w

mu w pn i up. Wi sp Nazism an haus, visua ais

Ansm Kif ms min. bu pjuiia aaizain f wa is

s, u , is un sw nfusin ain saks an ain-

sips.

Wi’s pupain wi mnis vns f is nuin nn

wi fasism an aiaianism (49). In ppsin , , ik su maj

nmpa inuas as gianni Vaim an a ria r, s

f a nvnina unsanin, as if w aa knw wa s pnmna

w an w am fm. t sms n n f pnin u un-

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david d. roberts274

sanin u fu isia inqui. t n qusin is w a

isia fasism an aiaianism in a wa a ps pvn an un

(46, 123).

Si, u nvnina auns f fasism an aiaianism an imi

in was a Wi wu av n w psiin ass. ruinism,

“oin,” an ia iumpaism fn uk in m, an in a sns

sana isia aun, makin i a m u i, an in

mpan passivi Wi awas p.

bu naaiv isia auns f fasism an aiaianism n av

nai su iumpaism. Pu iffn, ani n n uns in

Wi’s uaisi ms. W n qui xpan “mnis” appas, a

mi vi, paia pas vp a p isia unsanin,

n a s n nai su an assuan u a ans u assump-

ins an maks i a a w a au up in a ninuin piia xpi-

mn. In iuminain nin psss an ans, isia aun an

sv, in a wa Wi’s paia pas ann, ma ain a in min.

cnvs, ak an nn f p isia unsanin n m

as an ivan ivsin u as an sa sis is av us wi p-

is iés a n vm if w a spn ffiv, a

an m nun an f supi.

Au was n ain f su p isia qusinin au

fasism, Wi invk fasism in was a ams xpii an su

fai iumpaism in is ai n isia suim. Insfa as isia

qusinin mi uns, Wi’s pnnss fasis pisp gni’s

wa f psiin a kin f suim fm, inuin sp f uman fm-

ivin, wu sm spia pvi an n (120). Wi ispa sm

insi in wa ma gni’s inkin innvaiv, an xpii n

isks f paiin gni as i.

W av sn a Pau fns Wi aains as f sippinss vis-à-

vis aiaianism pa invkin Wi’s sss n n f suim

a ff nin an. t fa a Wi was v nn wi

pvnin an un is su w smin, u Pau’s unu inv-

ain f suim sss v wa was in a masu f sippinss in

Wi’s us f gni.

In su a s k Pau u n av n jusi issus invv,

u mi a as av ais p qusins. If invkin gnian

suim is n nfus, w n a p sns f inain “a -

u isia w” gni nvisin an w i im ava a

aiaian ia sa as insumn f a nw fm f f iv w-

makin. An w n asis f isinuisin gni’s aiaian suim

fm Wi’s, wi su was inn aniaiaian u, wi gni

invk s supfiia, is un av us wnin. Simp sa a w

n suim a ff aiaian pssiii is av us asin u

wn ais.

t n pn anaivs fm wiin psnis, nsuivis, an

aniais iin as bn c an is amn a ans f

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Wi an Pau. tis is a su-pi I am uan in up, f n n

n appa c j asps f Wi’s inkin. bu Wi’s nun-

wi c was na is inua iap, an Pau ain as

i as su. I is sikin a Wi a “ aiin van f c’s ia

f is” in 1963, u n k c as, if anin, if viain fi in

Metahistory n as a.10

Pau sks pinpin asns f Wi’s puiain f c, an w

mus n a vn if ma n av n asns, in sns f in

jusi c, ma in fa av n inua-iapia asns.

Si, w mi xp sm assssmn fm Wi’s inua iap, u

Pau simp pas Wi n c, faiin n a Wi n up si-

us misnsuin asps f c’s inkin. tis mas aus a

infm amn f nun wu av f a k n fai

uaisms a smims viia Wi’s aumns—an a Pau uniia

aps.

As Pau ss i, Wi un aains c ms asia aus c’s

“ia iaism” an “amai umanism” a n inaqua

ans f fasism an aiaianism in Ia (36, 47, 124). bu piia

isiusinmn wu n aun f v paiua uss Wi ma f

c in Metahistory, w s as ini uminain f ninn-

nu nn wa a imi “aism,” puaiv avin isian as

a passiv sv, u ff fm usin isia inqui in an aiv wa (36, 41,

55, 63, 68).

Fwin Wi, Pau psisn nfas c wi rank an a pmium

n u aiva sa, swin an ff spak au psn

fuu (39-41, 60). y c xpii puia rank, w sm na,

as pu i, in fin a f mamin a ps.11 Was Wi, in is 1963

ssa, a ni nv c’s unsanin f ainsips amn

isia unsanin, ma mmimn, an ain, in Metahistory

ss v ks c’s psiin famin anaivs in ii

uaisi ms. Spinnin im as i, Wi mana as c as i-

ia spksman f uis iaism in isis. In pain c as

uminain, n a wi ini amn, Wi u p a

ks f m snan isiap aim skin.12

Au Wi su a pausi asns f unin fm c,

ninu av m in mmn wi Iaian ink an n. h

iv fm c fm wiin a mmn famwk, naiin a pau

fm “psiivism” an “aism” an an mpasis n nsuin in anua.

t w inks saw sp f a m snan isia san,

infm ia nns. t iffn was spia v s f is-

10. han Wi, “t Aiin rvan f c’s Ia f his” (1963), in han Wi,The Fiction of Narrative: Essays on History, Literature, and Theory, 1957–2007 (baim: Jns

hpkins Univsi Pss, 2010), 50-67.

11. bn c, La storia come pensiero e come azione (bai: laza [eizin nmia],

1966), 65-67, 73-88.

12. I a asis an impiains f Wi’s amn f c in m ai in “rinkin

han Wi’s tamn f c,” fmin in Rethinking History 17, n. 4 (dm 2013).

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david d. roberts276

ipin, vn spnsiii, a is nai. Wi n s f “aism” ini

spaain, c was in psiin ain imis, vn as , , su

sw w isiap u sv qus f a fuu. Wi was a

avi fain up m, an avi saks f swin m, u

fai nfain f c wi rankan aism an passivi. h sm

pf wi suim munan isipin a ampanis u fm

in c. ta ma w a pausi i, u in sisppin can

anaiv Wi was quik pa is wn psiin as uniqu pivi-

anaiv “aism.”

Pau’s fn “a u isia w” su ps spif

famwk f Wi’s inqui an an. bu aus Pau s n ask w

u w as m sm more u isia, aks famwk

s up ans an pssiiiis a av fw. tus is n-

n m fw Wi a an qusin im in i f s nw

ans an pssiiiis.

A m snan isia uu s in qui p inkin n

pa f isians au i an f uua s, as w as a p un-

sanin, fis amn wi umanisi inuas, u n as amn

wi pui, f wa isia qusinin s, s n , an mi .

Wi’s va pam u av niu m susania , u

mu f ppuni sms av n s. In as anasis, in fa,

um as aua n unpuiv, vn in ms f Wi’s wn

wi uua aims.

As w av sn, Pau ns a Wi un fm isia pfssin

na pimai wi s m aun is iain pj. bu i is a

supisin a Wi fai nn wi ms isians. Fis, nsisn

impi an smims au xpii a mainsam is aims m

an i s. Sn, nia wa i in fa s, an . h skw

saks f askin isia qusins— f n askin m an ain

is in sm m, inuin mi vi an paia pas.

Su misaaizain pv u unpuiv. on n an,

vsamn ma i as f ms isians simp un u,

missin pnia puiv si f Wi’s an, inuin sp

f p uua nnins as n a nw sf-unsanin f i

s in “a u isia w.” Paizain su as ain isi-

ans fm gn W ria evans am insis m sin-min

n aism as n anaiv wa piv as “niiism an aiv-

ism.” tis is n sus a vmin a masu f nsin an ns

was i pssi sia. bu paizain as n an inaqua un-

sanin f pssiiiis, saks, an impiains is—an as n—uu-

a iiain.

t ppuni nin wi pui n p nai,

pnia nai, f isia san un psn uua iumsans

was s a sam im. y i was a mssa a spia n

a as “is” was in m ivan um in i f wi

inua ans an aua us f vns. h aain, um

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was aua vn unpuiv as Wi’s aumns inf fai

pjuis in wi umanisi uu au mainsam isiap an

is puaiv imis. A an impv u uua ppins, pnin

f isia unsanin, aua un in ppsi.

In s, Pau’s vviw pvis a usfu, an in man was xmpa,

inuin Wi’s a. bu in as anasis, spi an asina

w fa, Pau is fnia mas pvi a nvinin va

iia assssmn.

david d. roberts

University of Georgia

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