Recent developments derived from the increasing economic, cultural and communication interpenetration normally referred to as "globalisation" have shifted the attention of the social sciences to objects of study that have often been overlooked by historiographical traditions centred on the national states. A look at major theoretical currents of historical and comparative work like the theories of "world systems", "world society" and "world polity" could be helpful for reassessing historical work beyond narrow national perspectives. These three grand narratives of modern globalisation will be briefly outlined, their main theoretical and methodological insights described, and their particular rapports with historical work assessed. Finally, the new "global history" will be presented as being different from the traditional "world history" regarding their rapports with postmodern trends stressing the importance of the history of "fragments". (Contains 52 footnotes.)