Understanding Historical Persistence

• Department of Political and Social Sciences

In this seminar, EUI Fernand Braudel Fellow, Jason Wittenberg, will present the paper “Understanding Historical Persistence."

Please note that the session starts at 17:15.

While continuity and change have long been central in the study of politics, we do not yet fully understand the criteria by which claims of continuity can be made. What is the dividing line between continuity with the past and change from the past? The paper addresses that question through an examination of how social scientists discuss and assert continuity of social phenomena even in the presence of change. It identifies three logics of persistence, each of which specifies a different set of criteria for distinguishing between identity-preserving and identity-destroying change. 

Due to limited spaces for COVID restrictions, participation on site will be allowed on a first-come, first-served basis. The speaker will present in person and the talk will be live streamed via zoom. We recommend bringing headphones as the acoustics can be suboptimal.