{"id":40251,"date":"2024-03-29T08:20:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T08:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=40251"},"modified":"2024-03-29T08:21:06","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T08:21:06","slug":"peter-burke-ignorance-a-global-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=40251","title":{"rendered":"Peter Burke, \u201eIgnorance: A Global History\u201c"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>&#8220;A fascinating catalogue of the conditions and agency of ignorance&#8221;\u2014Jeffrey Collins, <\/strong><em><strong>Times Literary Supplement<\/strong><\/em><strong><br><br>&#8220;A declaration of love for education&#8221;\u2014Stefan Bauer, <em>History Today<\/em><br><br>&#8220;Dazzling . . . a deliciously knowledgeable history of ignorance&#8221;\u2014David Armitage<br><br>A rich, wide-ranging history of ignorance in all its forms, from antiquity to the present day<\/strong><br>\u00a0<br>Throughout history, every age has thought of itself as more knowledgeable than the last. Renaissance humanists viewed the Middle Ages as an era of darkness, Enlightenment thinkers tried to sweep superstition away with reason, the modern welfare state sought to slay the \u201cgiant\u201d of ignorance, and in today\u2019s hyperconnected world seemingly limitless information is available on demand. But what about the knowledge lost over the centuries? Are we really any less ignorant than our ancestors?<br>\u00a0<br>In this highly original account, Peter Burke examines the long history of humanity\u2019s ignorance across religion and science, war and politics, business and catastrophes. Burke reveals remarkable stories of the many forms of ignorance\u2014genuine or feigned, conscious and unconscious\u2014from the willful politicians who redrew Europe\u2019s borders in 1919 to the politics of whistleblowing and climate change denial. The result is a lively exploration of human knowledge across the ages, and the importance of recognizing its limits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Peter Burke<\/strong> is emeritus professor of cultural history at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of many distinguished books that have been translated into more than thirty languages, including <em>The Polymath<\/em> and <em>What Is the History of Knowledge?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Praise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<em>Ignorance: A Global History<\/em> explores the myriad ways in which \u2018not-knowing\u2019 affects our lives, sometimes for good, sometimes for ill. . . . Burke takes all ignorance\u2014rather than all knowledge\u2014for his province. . . . Throughout . . . , Burke peppers readers with a flurry of striking factoids, quotations and anecdotes.\u201d\u2014Michael Dirda, <em>Washington Post<\/em><br><br>\u201cFrom this storehouse of historical data Burke offers a fascinating catalogue of the conditions and agency of ignorance.\u201d\u2014Jeffrey Collins, <em>Times Literary Supplement<\/em><br><br>\u201cExplores the ways \u2018obstacles, forgetting, secrecy, denial, uncertainty, prejudice, misunderstanding and credulity\u2019 have impacted the course of history, from the redrawing of borders to climate change denial and more.\u201d\u2014<em>New York Times Book Review<\/em><br><br>\u201c[A] fascinating new history of worldwide ignorance.\u201d\u2014Peter B. Kaufman, <em>Los Angeles Review of Books<\/em><br><br>A Seminary Coop Notable Book of 2023<br><br>\u201cIgnorance might seem to be a pressing contemporary problem but, as this dazzling, comprehensive book shows, it has many pasts. Only Peter Burke could have written such a deliciously knowledgeable history of ignorance.\u201d\u2014David Armitage, <em>Civil Wars: A History in Ideas<\/em><br><br>\u201cA rich, fascinating book of astonishing range. Burke impresses the need for awe and humility about how much humanity doesn\u2019t know or refuses to know, and how this problem shifts and resurfaces across eras.\u201d\u2014Linsey McGoey, author of <em>The Unknowers<\/em><br><br>\u201cDelivers a journey through all forms of not knowing, from secrecies to unintended consequences, to different forms of forgetting things formerly known. Burke shows that as more knowledge is generated, the horizon of ignorance can widen\u2014for good or for bad. Burke\u2019s new book will not only be a milestone in ignorance studies, but should become standard reading.\u201d\u2014Matthias Gross, author of <em>Ignorance and Surprise<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yale University Press<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knjige","category-novosti"],"acf":{"facebook_opis":""},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Ignorance.jpg?fit=654%2C1000&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":53443,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=53443","url_meta":{"origin":40251,"position":0},"title":"The Routledge Handbook of the History and Sociology of Ideas","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"18. svibnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"Edited by Stefanos Geroulanos and Gis\u00e8le Sapiro The Routledge Handbook of the History and Sociology of Ideas establishes a new and comprehensive way of working in the history and sociology of ideas, in order to obviate several longstanding gaps that have prevented a fruitful interdisciplinary and international dialogues. Pushing global\u2026","rel":"","context":"U &quot;Knjige&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Knjige","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=8"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ideas.jpg?fit=350%2C498&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":52664,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=52664","url_meta":{"origin":40251,"position":1},"title":"CfP: CONFERENCE OF THE HISTORY OF CONCEPTS GROUP, HELSINKI, 19TH\u201321ST AUGUST 2026 (DEADLINE: 30TH APRIL 2026)","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"24. travnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"The annual conference of the History of Concepts Group is held at the University of Helsinki, 19-21 August 2026. Conference of the History of Concepts Group Conceptual history studies the use of concepts and tries to understand how historical actors have linguistically articulated views of the world. Studying concepts from\u2026","rel":"","context":"U &quot;Novosti&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/hsozkult.png?fit=1006%2C241&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/hsozkult.png?fit=1006%2C241&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/hsozkult.png?fit=1006%2C241&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/hsozkult.png?fit=1006%2C241&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54786,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=54786","url_meta":{"origin":40251,"position":2},"title":"National Council on Public History (NCPH): Statement in Response to White House \u201cSaving America\u2019s Story\u201d Report","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"24. srpnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"NCPH Statement in Response to the White House \u201cSaving America\u2019s Story\u201d Report and in Support of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Published July 9, 2026 The National Council on Public History (NCPH) rejects the findings of the \u201cSaving America\u2019s Story\u201d report on the Smithsonian National Museum of American\u2026","rel":"","context":"U &quot;Novosti&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Statement-Release.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Statement-Release.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Statement-Release.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Statement-Release.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Statement-Release.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54410,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=54410","url_meta":{"origin":40251,"position":3},"title":"CfA: Teaching World History in the Postmodern Classroom","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"1. srpnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"World History Bulletin, a publication of the World History Association (WHA), is seeking contributions from educators, university faculty, curriculum specialists, public historians, graduate students, and educational researchers for its upcoming issue on \u201cTeaching World History in the Postmodern Classroom.\u201d Teaching World History in the Postmodern Classroom Guest edited by Heather\u2026","rel":"","context":"U &quot;Novosti&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/World-history-association.png?fit=1156%2C619&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/World-history-association.png?fit=1156%2C619&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/World-history-association.png?fit=1156%2C619&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/World-history-association.png?fit=1156%2C619&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/World-history-association.png?fit=1156%2C619&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54854,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=54854","url_meta":{"origin":40251,"position":4},"title":"El\u00edas J. Palti, &#8220;Intellectual History and the Problem of Conceptual\u00a0Change&#8221;","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"31. srpnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"How does long-term intellectual change occur? Can we develop a theoretical framework for understanding past systems of knowledge? In this ambitious study, El\u00edas Jos\u00e9 Palti seeks to reassess the main concepts in the field of intellectual history. Evaluating modes of thought from the seventeenth century to the present, this book\u2026","rel":"","context":"U &quot;Knjige&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Knjige","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=8"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Palti.jpg?fit=417%2C257&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":54563,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=54563","url_meta":{"origin":40251,"position":5},"title":"International workshop \u201cIntellectual History of Antifascism: Women\u2019s Responses to the Rise of Fascism and Nazism\u201d","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"13. srpnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"U Pragu je 4. i 5. lipnja 2026. odr\u017ean me\u0111unarodni znanstveni skup \u201cIntellectual History of Antifascism: Women\u2019s Responses to the Rise of Fascism and Nazism\u201d, s nekoliko izlaganja na teme iz povijesti Jugoslavije. Op\u0161irnije: https:\/\/www.usd.cas.cz\/aktuality\/intellectual-history-of-antifascism-womens-responses-to-the-rise-of-fascism-and-nazism\/ https:\/\/inz.si\/en\/2026\/06\/17\/international-workshop-intellectual-history-of-antifascism-womens-responses-to-the-rise-of-fascism-and-nazism\/","rel":"","context":"U &quot;Novosti&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Prague.jpg?fit=1200%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Prague.jpg?fit=1200%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Prague.jpg?fit=1200%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Prague.jpg?fit=1200%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Prague.jpg?fit=1200%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40251"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40254,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40251\/revisions\/40254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}