A theoretical reflection upon the relationship between history and cultural studies

Since its inception at Birmingham University,, cultural studies has had a tenuous relationship with other disciples. Cultural studies refused to define itself within the limits of academic disciplines. One of those branches of human sciences with whom cultural studies had an “undefined” relationship was history. History along with literature are two of the well-established fields of study in human sciences. The discipline of history has witnessed significant shifts within the last two centuries. Following the Rankean definition of history, a historian was tasked with writing history as it happened. But this definition of history was first dismantled by the interpretative school and then by the Annales school. Following the linguistic turn, a new horizon was opened in the study of history, and narratives were employed to give voice to those whose voices have been suppressed. But it’s this article’s contention that cultural studies, as a radical project, fits into none of these definitions. Cultural studies needs to define history as “historical conjunctures” in order to live up to its pledge as a radical disciple.