晚期古代和中世纪早期史研究中的新价值取向

晚期古代是最近半个世纪以来书写古代世界结束和中世纪生成的主导概念和模式,中世纪早期史的研究也向诸多传统假设和论断提出挑战。特别值得关注的是,一系列新论断显示了价值观的再定向。从古典文化本位论到多元文化论、从政治史和制度史到宗教文化史、从民族主义到欧洲主义,反映了晚期古代和中世纪早期史研究领域新的价值取向。晚期古代说、罗马世界转变说、连续说等,无疑包含当代价值,具有当下关怀。价值观的再定向,显示了20世纪后期以来欧美历史科学与意识形态之间紧密而复杂的关联,呈现出史学与时代的互动。

The Values Reorientation in the Study of Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages

In the research field of late Antiquity and early Middle Ages since the late 20th century, late Antiquity has become a dominate concept and model, and some traditional assumptions and interpretations on the history of early Middle Ages have been questioned. It is particularly noteworthy that a series of new arguments derived from the study of late Antiquity and early Middle Ages also reveal the reorientation of values, from the classical cultural norms to multiculturalism, from institutional history to religious culture history, from nationalism to Europeanism, which reflect the new value orientation of most historians in this field. New arguments, such as the concept of Late Antiquity, the transformation of the Roman world and the theory of Continuity, are undoubtedly of contemporary value and present care. The reorientation of values demonstrates a close and complex link between the history research and ideology in Europe and America since the late twentieth century, and the interaction between historiography and the times.