[BEST OF] Méditerranée(s), histoire de migrations | Fernand Braudel, l'historien et la mer
Summary
This episode examines Fernand Braudel’s seminal work *The Mediterranean*, exploring its evolution from a 1949 thesis to a 1977 bestseller. Host Xavier Mauduit and guests Anne-Lysneff and Maurice Emard discuss how a 1976 TV series catapulted Braudel to public fame, transforming his academic study into a cultural phenomenon. The discussion also critiques Braudel’s deterministic view of civilizations and his limited engagement with Islamic sources, contrasting his legacy with contemporary historical research.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Braudel's lifelong fascination with the Mediterranean
The publication history and massive success of 'The Mediterranean'
Braudel's 1976 TV series and its reception by the public
Contextualizing the book's success: EU expansion and public interest
Intellectual origins: Pirenne, Islam, and the definition of civilization
Writing the thesis in captivity: Memory, correspondence, and constraints
Influences of the Annales School: Febvre, Bloch, and geography
Braudel's time in Brazil and the synthesis of geography and history
Braudel's institutional power and the legacy of the Annales School
Braudel's major editorial projects and academic authority
Modern critiques and new historiographical approaches to the Mediterranean
Critique of Braudel's view on Islam, Sicily, and cultural impermeability
The role of Paul Braudel and the construction of Fernand's image
Conclusion: Paul Braudel's contribution and final thanks
Bonus segment: The symbolic history of the pig in the Middle Ages
Listen ad-free on Castria