Deciphering Carlo Ginzburg

This book offers an original reading of Carlo Ginzburg’s work, tracing his trajectory in the context of Italian micro-history, his debates on the objectivity of historical knowledge, and the connection of his work to the expanded perspectives constructed in recent decades by global history.

Ginzburg's theories have achieved notoriety not only in the field of history but also among the wider public. This volume uses Ginzburg’s own aesthetic and intellectual practices in its analysis, and it deciphers the elements that drove and influenced the making of his work. By highlighting the procedures that Ginzburg has constructed to respond to problems of cultural history, the book also pays close attention to Erich Auerbach and Aby Warburg, whose influences played a crucial role in reformulating Ginzburg’s conception of micro-history. From there, the volume demonstrates the radicality of Ginzburg's micro-history through the discussion of some of his most recent contributions to international historiographical debates.

Thought-provoking and thoroughly researched, Deciphering Carlo Ginzburg is an innovative study in Ginzburg’s methods and theories.