Saga - 2003, Side 56

54
SIGURÐUR GYLFIMAGNÚSSON
the same time, Icelandic historians have continued with their research as
if nothing had happened, thus circumventing an important debate on the
status of scholarship and research in the world. This is clearly evident in
new Icelandic works discussing either the events of the 20th century or
the situation of the discipline at its close. All of them share the same
characteristics; the over-emphasis of the Icelandic historical estabhshment
on general history makes its presence felt everywhere. In the artide, this
emphasis is referred to as the concept of general approach; it actually forces
the scholars' research to follow an objective channel, whereas objectivity has
in many cases been rejected in other countries. There, emphasis is placed
on the polyphony of disdplines, dissolving the centre, and providing
space for groups which have usually be defined as being on the periphery.
The artide is a critical contribution to discussion of the historical disdpline
in Iceland, of methods and emphases of well-known Icelandic historians
and the ideology which is currently most favoured. There are various
indications that young scholars are not prepared to accept this dominance
of the Icelandic historical establishment, and have already adopted new
ideas which have been emerging in many areas of the world.