Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas and Beyond

Quentin Skinner is one of the world’s leading historians. His work includes pioneering studies of Machiavelli and Hobbes, as well as important research on changing ideas of liberty and the state. His classic 1969 essay ’Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas’ was a ground-breaking challenge to prevailing ideas about how to read historical texts, and helped to found an influential school of interpretation. The essay is still the most widely read article in the area, and continues to breed debate. This book celebrates the 50th anniversary of Skinner’s seminal essay with chapters that offer constructive critiques and expansions of his ideas, drawing in part on developments in digital humanities, empirical social science, and other areas. We focus not just on theory but also practice: what are the practical implications of these arguments for other researchers? At the end of the book, Professor Skinner responds to these commentaries.