Course Title: History and Historians
Course Number: HIST310, Section 1
Section Times/Days: T,R, 1:35-2:50
Instructor: Nigel Raab
Core Area: None
Flagged: Information literacy, Writing
Course Description:
This course introduces the participant to historical practice. Historians have been
writing for centuries but the profession has changed considerably over time. By
reading essays about the goals of historians, the nature of interdisciplinary work in
the historical profession and about controversies within the profession, students
will come to understand why historical interpretation is always in flux. The class
also examines the different sources – from archival to visual – that historians use to
construct their arguments. In the latter part of the class, we will explore case
studies taken from Soviet and East European history to see the diverse possibilities
of historical interpretation first hand.
Learning Outcomes:
In writing assignments and oral presentations, students will hone analytic skills and
refine their critical analysis within the context of an academic discipline. Since the
course has extensive source analysis, students will learn how to search for new
materials in unexpected ways.
Texts:
The texts will be on reserve.
Course Requirements:
Midterm
Final
8- page research paper
Class participation and oral presentation