Annales School

The Annales School was an approach to European history initially associated with the French scholarly journal Annales d'histoire économique et sociale (now called Annales. Economies, sociétés, civilisations) cofounded by Marc Bloch and [Lucien Febvre]? in 1929.

Annales School historians share a use of the methods of the social sciences - a remarkable innovation in the early 20th century - and a rejection of the predominant emphasis on politics, diplomacy and war of many 19th century historians. They also pioneered an approach to a study of long-term historical structures (la longue durée) over events. Geography, material culture, and what later Annalistes called 'mentalities' or the psychology of the epoch are also characteristic areas of study.

See Historiography.