Learning from the History of CISH for the Future of History as Science (Book Presentation)

History congresses are a place where new trends a in Historiography are presented and historical controversies are discussed. But to what extent can we learn from the history of such congresses for the historiography of the future? Key innovative and emerging trends discussed in CISH /ICHS in the 20th and the beginning 21st century were: international history, Annales history, social and cultural history, global history and environmental history. Are there ways of combining and integrating these new trends, subjects and methods with each other, but also with a modern political history and economic history? And to what extent can we learn from other disciplines and their methods in a necessary interdisciplinary exchange? History as a science combines historical theories and therefore theoretical research with concrete empirical research (cf. Johann Gustav Droysen). If we agree that historians are responsible not only for a fair investigation and consideration of the past and its acting persons and groups, but also for the present and the future, historians also must integrate ethical categories into a “responsible history” (Antoon De Baets). This must include a responsibly reflected learning from the past, from real and partial failures and progress and from necessary compromises.