The Evolution of Prehistory Narratives

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The chapter delves into the evolution of theories surrounding prehistory, tracing the shift from myth-based interpretations to a more scientific approach. It explores how the narratives about our ancestors are shaped by societal contexts, highlighting the tendency to either glorify or vilify them for present-day agendas. The discussion reveals the biases and complexities within the field, illustrating the recursive nature of our understanding of prehistory and its reflection on human perceptions and biases.

Humanity itself might be the hardest thing for scientists to study fairly and accurately. Not only do we come to the subject with certain inevitable preconceptions, but it's hard to resist the temptation to find scientific justifications for the stories we'd like to tell about ourselves. In his new book, The Invention of Prehistory, Stefanos Geroulanos looks at the ways that we have used -- and continue to use -- supposedly-scientific tales of prehistoric humanity to bolster whatever cultural, social, and political purposes we have at the moment.

Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2024/04/22/273-stefanos-geroulanos-on-the-invention-of-prehistory/

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Stefanos Geroulanos received his Ph.D. in humanities from Johns Hopkins. He is currently director of the Remarque Institute and a professor of history at New York University. He is the author and editor of a number of books on European intellectual history. He serves as a Co-Executive Editor of the Journal of the History of Ideas.

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