Emerging Themes in the History of Technology
Pamela O. Long
A significant locus for the origins of history technology as a discipline can be found in Annales d'histoire économique et sociale, established 1929 by Marc Bloch (1886-1944) and Lucien Febvre (1878- 1956).1 sought to expand historical studies beyond traditional concerns politics, diplomacy, war, great leaders, create stronger analytical frameworks drawing on social economic history. embraced comparative methods focused rural agrarian history, while emphasized unity knowledge importance interdisciplinary cooperation between historians scientists.2 In [End Page 177] November 1935, seven years after founding their journal, published special issue titled Les techniques, l'histoire la vie, collection empirically based articles, criticism, prescriptive programmatic statements.3 It is landmark historiography technology. an introductory essay, considered problems topics that should investigated under rubric new called techniques. He pointed three approaches such encompass. The first would investigate techniques themselves, is, procedures workers have used each task era. This must written technicians. Yet those technicians could not shut themselves off from broader analysis times places, do remain isolated place origin. Rather, they are borrowed others, technical secrets eventually revealed. historian thus able follow across time space; even "technical techniques" grounded understanding general conditions (social, economic, political) within which were transmitted.4 Secondly, suggested understand progress both incremental transformation precipitous changes or "revolutions" radically situations. key problem, Febvre's view, concern complex reciprocal relationships theory practice—the role science accomplishments science. third approach concern, more broadly, relationship other human activities, individual collective, including art, religion, military affairs. Each era, contended, has its own style. fundamental problem modern research was explain how "what one call history" influenced another.5 178] These technology—the study revolutionary change, investigation activities—must inseparable "perfectly united." Such believed, only constructed through cooperative effort scholars various disciplines. Archaeologists discovered ancient tools, ethnologists "primitive" engineers explained workings complicated mechanisms. Others demonstrated interrelationships (Here Georges Cuvier's use dissection injecting vessels small animals with colored substances better see them, contrasting this practice Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's theoretical approach.) undertake all explore full range them require kinds investigators, interested engineers, chemists, civilization. All collaborate—not sense creating parallel, unrelated studies, but rather confronting questioning another's ideas areas expertise.6 essays collected vie reflected Bloch's broad ambitions range, chronological and...
Technology and Culture