Which historian do you think has the best explanation for the Fall of the Roman Empire? Did it collapse due to external pressures from the waves of barbarian migrations caused by the conquests of the Huns, as Peter Heather argues? Or, as Guy Halsall argues, was it actually power struggles within the Empire, and the consequent break down of systems of patronage and the political legitimacy this bestowed, which caused the tribal groupings to get drawn into the power struggles and civil wars of Rome, unwittingly leading to the downfall of the Empire from within?

Edit: I studied under one of these historians, and it was always really fun to hear his forthright opinions on his counterpart.

Theory Thursday is one of my favourite threads, in one of Reddits most qualitative sub-reddits (and the main reason I discovered Reddit in the first place). After lurking for a long time, I think I might have the courage to engage. I consider myself very green on the field (working on my masters thesis), so have patience with me, my english, and my humble questions :)

• Where in general can I read up on debates concerning the subject of historiography?
• In my studies, the debate between Sir Richard J. Evans and Hayden White where the subject on the concept of historiography (a few years back); did this rivalry have any larger impact on the field of historiography?