Renowned social and cultural historian of sixteenthand seventeenth-century Europe Natalie Zemon Davis, the Henry Charles Lea Professor of History Emeritus at the University, has been named the 1999-2000 Toynbee prize recipient.
Davis taught in the University history department from 1978 until 1996. She is currently adjunct professor of history, professor of medieval studies and senior fellow of comparative literature at the University of Toronto.
According to history professor Robert Darnton, Davis is "one of the most inspiring historians in the craft today."
Bruce Mazlish, Toynbee Prize Foundation president and a history professor at MIT, said the Toynbee prize is an international, biannual award named for the famous British historian Arnold Toynbee. Toynbee earned fame as the author of "A Study of History," a twelve-volume account written from 1934 to 1961.
"[The Toynbee prize] aspires to be the Nobel Prize of the social sciences historically conceived," Mazlish said, adding that Davis is a "pioneer" in the field of microhistory.
After her graduation from Smith College, Davis initially studied "the performative aspect of the past," researching carnivals and festivities and their impact on European society, Davis said in an interview yesterday.
She was also a historical consultant for the film "The Return of Martin Guerre" and wrote a book by the same title, both of which chronicled the famous case of an imposter peasant taking over the identity of another peasant for several years.
In-depth study of very unusual events "can cast light on situations that are less remarkable," Davis said.
Details
"During my last years at Princeton, I was more focused on women," Davis said. She wrote a book called "Women on the Margins: Three Seventeenth-Century Lives," in which she examined the details of everyday female life in Europe. "I love doing that — showing a variety of cases and connecting across boundaries," she said.
Davis recently finished a book entitled "Slaves on Screen: Film and Historical Vision," which discusses the accuracy of historical details in feature films, Davis said. "The imagination should be loyal to the evidence. Good history makes good films."
Another book scheduled for release this year is "The Gift in Sixteenth-Century France," a social and anthropological study of the meaning of gifts. Davis said her book focuses on everyday events, which can be used to gain a better understanding of larger trends in history.
Davis' current research focuses on Europe's connection to the New World, especially the Caribbean and Quebec — a significantly larger scope than her research has covered in the past. "For a long time, France was my focus," Davis said. "My research keeps spreading out geographically."
Davis will receive a commemorative plaque in addition to a $5,000 award during a recognition ceremony in the Trustees' Room of the New York Public Library on May 17, according to Mazlish.
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