Designed especially for candidates for higher degrees in History. Stress is laid on practical exercises. For precise schedule of offerings see department catalog during pre-enrollment week each semester.

In the long history of this seminar it has been used to provide a history of historiography, an introduction to ‘theory’ or theories of historical knowledge, a discussion of methods and approaches to the past, as well as address issues of professionalization and the transformation of the academy. As it is impossible to do all those things at once this class will have a more modest ambition of introducing you to some of the current questions that preoccupy our discipline. It will do so by exploring how mostly practicing historians have engaged with different theoretical perspectives to expand the possibilities of historical research and writing. The goal is not to be exhaustive or comprehensive but to facilitate a working knowledge of a wide range of methods and theoretical vocabularies with which all historians should be conversant. As the work of historians is always shaped by the institutions they inhabit and the condtions in which they work these conversations are inseparable from those about the history and transformation of the academy so I encourage you to also take History 287 Becoming a Historian. The precise format and requirements of the class will be decided when we know whether we will be meeting remotely or in person.

This seminar will be taught synchronously, via a combination of in-person and remote instruction. It will meet regularly during the scheduled class times, and students will need to attend those meetings to succeed in the class.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.