The Nineties: A Book

The Nineties is a work of cultural history, a genre of historical writing that emerged in the mid-20th century as a reaction to traditional forms of historical analysis. Unlike conventional political or economic histories, cultural history focuses on the beliefs, values, and practices that shape human societies over time. This approach seeks to understand how people in the past made sense of their world, examining everything from everyday habits to artistic expressions and intellectual trends.

The roots of cultural history can be traced back to the work of Dutch historian Johan Huizinga and his 1919 book The Autumn of the Middle Ages. Huizinga’s approach emphasized the importance of understanding the mentalities and sensibilities of people in the past, rather than focusing solely on political events or economic structures. This perspective laid the groundwork for what would later become cultural history as a distinct field.

In the 1960s and 1970s, cultural history gained prominence as part of the broader “cultural turn” in the humanities and social sciences. This shift was influenced by developments in anthropology, sociology, and literary criticism, which emphasized the importance of culture in shaping human experience. Scholars like Clifford Geertz, with his concept of “thick description,” argued for a more nuanced understanding of cultural practices and their meanings.

One of the key figures in the development of cultural history was French historian Roger Chartier. Chartier’s work focused on the history of reading and the ways in which texts were received and interpreted by different audiences over time. This approach exemplified cultural history’s interest in how ideas and cultural products are consumed and understood, rather than just how they are produced.

Cultural historians often draw on a wide range of sources beyond traditional historical documents. These may include literature, art, music, film, folklore, and material culture. By examining these diverse artifacts, cultural historians aim to reconstruct the mentalities or worldviews of people in the past. This approach allows for a more holistic understanding of historical periods, considering not just what happened but also how events were perceived and experienced by those who lived through them.

One of the strengths of cultural history is its ability to give voice to groups that are often marginalized in traditional historical narratives. By focusing on everyday practices and popular culture, cultural historians can illuminate the experiences of ordinary people, women, minorities, and other groups whose perspectives may be absent from official records or political histories.

Cultural history also emphasizes the importance of context in understanding historical phenomena. Rather than viewing cultural products or practices in isolation, cultural historians seek to situate them within broader social, economic, and political frameworks. This approach recognizes that culture both shapes and is shaped by other aspects of society, creating a complex web of influences and interactions.

Cultural history has not been without its critics. Some historians argue that its focus on representation and meaning can come at the expense of understanding material realities and power structures. Others contend that the broad scope of cultural history can lead to overgeneralization or a lack of rigor. Despite these critiques, cultural history remains an influential approach within the historical profession.

One of the key debates within cultural history concerns the relationship between “high” culture and popular or mass culture. While early cultural historians often focused on elite cultural productions, more recent work has emphasized the importance of studying popular culture as a window into broader social trends and mentalities. This shift reflects a growing recognition of the complex ways in which culture circulates and is transformed across different social strata.

Cultural historians also grapple with questions of continuity and change over time. They seek to understand how cultural practices and beliefs evolve, adapting to new circumstances while often retaining elements of older traditions. This perspective allows for a nuanced understanding of historical change that recognizes both ruptures and continuities in human experience.

Klosterman’s The Nineties can be seen as an exemplar of cultural history applied to a recent historical period. Klosterman’s approach aligns with many of the key principles of cultural history, demonstrating how this genre can illuminate the understanding of even the recent past.