This week, ending in October 29 2015:
Today's thread is for open discussion of:
History in the academy
Historiographical disputes, debates and rivalries
Implications of historical theory both abstractly and in application
Philosophy of history
And so on
Regular participants in the Thursday threads should just keep doing what they've been doing; newcomers should take notice that this thread is meant for open discussion only of matters like those above, not just anything you like -- we'll have a thread on Friday for that, as usual.
I'm curious to hear about the latest broad theories of the philosophy of history. I know that the old "Big Man" theory of history has been mostly replaced by the "Trends and Forces" theory, but how do these theories interplay in contemporary theories of history? Are there any interesting papers I should read arguing for either side of this debate, or for any other contrasting perspective of the philosophy of history?