- Public History

Catalog description

An exploration of the many and diverse ways in which history is put to work in the world using local, national, and international case studies. People encounter the past every day, often in projects mediated by public historians who apply the skills of historical writing, research, and presentation to engage a popular audience. Students will discuss how and why public historians make history relevant and useful in the public sphere; how governments and institutions construct and disseminate historical narratives; how the past is portrayed in popular culture, including newspapers, television, and film; and how private groups, including families and museums, preserve individual and collective heritage and memory. Testing this knowledge, students will evaluate museum exhibits, historical sites, oral histories, and archives, and will also work on a community-based collective public history project.