US Foreign Policy in Studies of S.F. Bemis: a Polyarchive Approach

Abstract

The article is devoted to a critical analysis of the state of American historical science. The relevance of the research is associated with the need to interrupt the circulation of stereotypes in the academic space, which impedes the advancement of scientific knowledge. On the example of the intellectual biography of Samuel Flagg Bemis (1891-1973), an analysis was carried out, the purpose of which was to detail the historian’s perception of US foreign policy and its origin. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the creation of a conceptual framework for the intellectual biography of the researcher. The methodological complex is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, consistency, historical-chronological, historical-biographical, narrative, prosopographic methods. The results of the study showed the lack of originality in the views of S. F. Bemis on the topic of the genesis of the United States foreign policy: in the 1920s-1950s the historian was an associate of the development of “scientific history”, but not its creative pioneer. By the beginning of the 1960s the scientist has lost influence in professional circles, but his works continue to be in demand due to the collection of facts in them. The findings are intended for use in research and education in the study of history, historiography of US foreign policy.

Keywords

• historiography
• history of us foreign policy
• new history
• polyarchival approach
• samuel flagg bemis