This book investigates how intellectual history can be reconceptualized within a global framework. It addresses the challenges and controversies inherent in incorporating transnational perspectives into historical accounts of human movements and events, exploring the production, dissemination, and circulation of global ideas. The contributors examine whether global intellectual history can produce legitimate narratives and how intellectuals and ideas fit within current conceptions of global frames and processes of globalization. It also distinguishes between ideas of the global and those of the transnational, clarifying their respective contributions to the field.

The contributors to Global Intellectual History explore diverse approaches to understanding the production, dissemination, and circulation of global ideas, questioning the potential for legitimate narratives within this field. The essays address how intellectuals and ideas interact with globalization processes and differentiate between global and transnational concepts. The book aims to guide scholars in integrating transnational perspectives into their work while navigating potential controversies. This collection offers a foundational resource for understanding the evolving landscape of global intellectual history.