L’anthropologie historique de l’Occident médiéval. Un parcours

Abstract

This threefold essay (concepts, fields, projects) consists in a personal reflection upon the history of historical anthropology from the mid-19th century’s “crisis of historicism” to today’s research challenges. The important and fruitful thirty-year-long dialogue between history and anthropology (as subject and method) has not left out the specific dimension of historical research as opposed to claims of abstract and synchronic human logics. After examining the most important changes made, the paper confronts current stakes, from the complex dialogue with cognitive sciences to Ph. Descola’s anthropological project.

Keywords

• Descola (Philippe)
• historical anthropology
• structural anthropology
• crisis of historicism
• images
• cognitive sciences