History and Cultural Theory provides an introduction to the relationship between contemporary cultural theory and the study of history. Reflecting the growing influence on history of theorists such as Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Foucault and Gayatri Spivak, it provides a clear and accessible guide to their thought and explains the implications of their ideas for historical studies. It offers specific examples of how historians apply the insights of cultural theory in their own work. Provides a guide to cutting-edge ideas in historical thought.