Introduction

Keith W. Whitelam's studies expand beyond issues of 'minimalism' and represent a much broader interest in historical method and criticism related to the history and representation of that problematic concept termed 'ancient Israel' and to the history of Palestine. His studies illustrate quite well in its chronological arrangement the transition from an initial concern with Israelite history towards a more comprehensive Palestinian history. The contributions may be divided into two phases. A first phase with genuine historical interests, still within the framework of critical historical methods deployed in Old Testament scholarship, combining a historical interpretation of narratives in Samuel and Kings with social science approaches and theoretical insights from sociological and anthropological studies. A second phase comprises more strictly defined historiographical interests, following theoretical trends in general history and dealing essentially with the more known and relevant insights from the already mentioned French school of the Annales together with recent approaches like new historicism in literary studies and poststructuralist trends.