World History through Case Studies

David Eaton’s inventive approach offers students a way to see and take part in the detective work that goes into analyzing and understanding the past. His case studies of key historical issues about which there is contemporary debate range widely across time and space. They provide a fresh perspective on commonly-taught topics in ways that will intrigue students, such as exploring globalization through South Africa’s hosting soccer’s World Cup, and also allow them to explore issues that rarely make it into textbooks but should, such as the impact of the horse. * Merry E Wiesner-Hanks, President of the World History Association and Distinguished Professor Emerita of History, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA *
In this new approach to world history, David Eaton helps his readers acquire the skills of the historian, and demonstrates how these skills can be applied to the construction of reliable knowledge both in the discipline of history, and in life more generally. * Craig Benjamin, Associate Professor of History, Grand Valley State University, USA *
David Eaton’s book is a game changer for teaching world history because it centers historiographical debates that are the beating, messy heart of our discipline. Breath-taking in thematic, temporal and geographical range, it also digs deep into well-chosen case studies with panache. The great French scholar Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie once divided historians into ‘parachutists’, searching out grand patterns for below them, and ‘truffle hunters’, their noses buried in the fine-grained details. With this book, budding historians and their teachers should trust Prof. Eaton to both pack their chutes and find them the tastiest morsels. A must read. * Gerard McCann, Lecturer in African and Global History, University of York, UK *