HIS 241 THE HISTORIAN'S CRAFT

By asking “what is history?” we consider how to approach the past, identify and interpret evidence, craft narratives, identify historical actors, and make arguments. By asking “why does history matter?” we debate history’s critical role in public life, past and present. The stakes are real and political. Students will question narratives and explore how these narratives create change by recognizing how people in specific times and places constructed histories for specific purposes and within relations of power. The course introduces students to faculty research and methods, as well as to key thinkers in historical studies.