Global History in Egyptology: Framing Resilient Shores

Global history is generally viewed as solely pertinent to 1492 CE and subsequent centuries; nonetheless it should not be understood in such literal terms. The world has been interconnected for far longer. Globalization—that is, multiple connections across regions—affected Egypt and the Near East far more deeply than has often been accepted. The methods and approaches developed within the global perspective offered by “global history” have been used as tools for rewriting another type of history. In recent years numerous scholars in adjacent fields have adopted an explicitly globalist approach. Egyptologists have been slow to adopt either the scope or the methodologies advocated by global history. A traditional Eurocentric vision flattens the path of history and the vitality of ancient Egypt. This volume, then, is a concerted attempt to help foster a dialogue that will—it is hoped—be of benefit both to global historians and to the study of Egyptian history, to which this journal is devoted. After all, a direction forcefully emerges through the clouds: moreThis article describes how Egyptology as a field of study relates to the emergence of increasingly global histories. Following a brief introduction to theoretical issues of categorization and ontology on the basis of concepts introduced by Michel Foucault, the author describes "isolationist" approaches to ancient Egypt. These emerged from interpretations of Egypt's physical environment, forms of "Egyptian" identity expressed in ancient sources, and the colonialist history of Egyptology itself. These factors are intertwined with one another and contribute to a state of affairs in which scholars interested in global histories do not incorporate potentially valuable Egyptian material as much as they could, while some Egyptologists continue to view the object of their studies as exceptional and exclusive. The final section of the article outlines the potential for global history to benefit Egyptology, and vice versa, through three main objectives: decentring, as well as transcending the boundaries of single states, regions, or cultures; recognizing connections, not only among regions, areas, and cities but also between the different sectors of society; and comparison, in order to avoid isolation and stimulate new perspectives that arise through contact with different fields and cultures.resilient shores are needed for Egyptology.