Public History

Catalog description

This course explores Public History as the practice of presenting historical knowledge and research to a wider audience beyond academic settings in order to make history accessible, relevant, and meaningful to the general public and foster dialogue about the past. It explores the connections between the past and contemporary issues, demonstrating the relevance of historical understanding to current debates, challenges, and events. In doing so it encourages students to engage in a critical reflection on how the past shapes the present and informs the future. The course focuses on different contexts, themes, and media for public history engagement: oral history, cinema, radio, museums, archives, fiction, and memory.