Rethinking the Quiet Revolution: The Renewal of Political History through the Expansion of the “Political Field”

Abstract

This article outlines the transformations that have occurred in political history over the last thirty years, moving from a “factual” national history to a political history that extends beyond the national perspective. Although these transitions have been obscured by certain researchers who continue to connect national history to political history, this paradigm shift has allowed new fields of study to emerge, including the history of political culture. Advocating for the importance of conceptualizing a wider “political field” that places more emphasis on political culture, the article uses the example of the history of the Quiet Revolution to illustrate the new approaches taken in Canadian and Quebec political history and the possible directions it could take.