History 2809A/2809B The Historian’s Craft
Fall 2022 / Winter 2023
Instructor: Dr. Jill St. Germain
History is the most democratic of disciplines: everyone thinks they can do it and everyone does it. This is reflective, perhaps, of the fact that we all have a history and we have all told the stories of our pasts. The idea of History is, therefore, something we can intrinsically understand. There is also something democratic about the skills and methods of “doing History” – they are widely applicable, making them valuable assets, whether you pursue a career involving History or turn to something altogether different.
The Historian’s Craft is a practical, hands-on course designed to cultivate several of the skills involved in the practice of History by using them. We will discuss and apply key discipline concepts – context, chronology, interpretation, historiography, among others. And through the examination of a specific historical controversy, we will cultivate the fundamental skills of historical inquiry: asking questions, research, analysis, and presentation. In this course, historical content will come second in our concerns to historical method, with the subject under study providing the vehicle through which we will build skills.
Coursework will involve several short assignments and an analytical or narrative paper. Assignments are cumulative, each building on the last. In-class time will include some lectures, but will be focused largely on the doing of practical exercises related to the required assignments.