According to historian John Tosh, "the word history carries two
meanings in common parlance. It refers both to what actually
happened in the past and to the representation of that past in the
work of historians."
This course is designed to introduce students to the second of Tosh’s definitions. It is designed to introduce students to historiography – the body of techniques, theories, assumptions, and principles of historical research and writing – particularly as it has taken shape in the last fifty years. By analyzing a variety of texts, both theoretical and empirical, the course is intended to acquaint students with the wide array of approaches that historians have taken toward their discipline, some of the theoretical foundations historians have employed, and some of the questions that historians have asked (and re-asked) about their discipline. Alongside the above-stated aims, the course will encourage, develop and reinforce critical reading, writing, and discussion skills.
This course is designed to introduce students to the second of Tosh’s definitions. It is designed to introduce students to historiography – the body of techniques, theories, assumptions, and principles of historical research and writing – particularly as it has taken shape in the last fifty years. By analyzing a variety of texts, both theoretical and empirical, the course is intended to acquaint students with the wide array of approaches that historians have taken toward their discipline, some of the theoretical foundations historians have employed, and some of the questions that historians have asked (and re-asked) about their discipline. Alongside the above-stated aims, the course will encourage, develop and reinforce critical reading, writing, and discussion skills.