The Rise of Post-Literate History: A Growing Gap Between Scholars and the Public

This article explores the widening gap between the findings of professional historians and public understanding of history. Using Darryl Cooper's controversial interpretation of World War II as an example, the author points out that the public's understanding of history often remains simplistic and one-sided, ignoring years of in-depth academic research. The article compares the different accounts of the Crusades by Runciman and Riley-Smith, highlighting how Runciman's more literary style resonated more with the public while Riley-Smith's rigorous scholarship remained largely unknown. The author argues that limitations of modern academic publishing, declining levels of public culture, and shrinking attention spans contribute to the difficulty of disseminating quality historical work, potentially leading to the decline of historical research.