HST6042: Presenting the Past: Making History Public
15 credits (semester 2)
2012-13 Module Leader: Dr Catherine Fletcher
| Module Summary |
The primary focus of this module is the interpretation and creation of 'public history'. The module will enable you to reflect on the issues involved in disseminating history outside academia and develop communication and presentation skills for audiences outside higher education. You will be required to (1) analyse examples of public history and (2) create an example of public history.
External partners may be involved in setting briefs for your assessment, giving you the opportunity to develop relations with outside employers. The module may be of particular interest if planning to pursue careers in heritage, museums or education.
Seminars will include discussion of: issues in public history; displaying objects and presenting interiors; writing for the 'public'; sound and vision; digital history.
| Module Aims |
The module aims to:
- Develop your critical skills in interrogating public history.
- Enable you to reflect on the value of your historical knowledge and skills outside academic study.
- Improve your communication and presentation skills for audiences outside higher education.
- Provide you with experience of using your historical knowledge and skills outside academia.
- Encourage you to reflect on your own career development.
| Teaching |
The module will be taught in five, two-hour classes. Following an introductory seminar, three of these will be student-led seminars each based around public history in a particular format. Classes will enable you to share knowledge, debate contentious issues and listen and respond to the views and ideas of others in a structured environment. The final session will involve you to present or display your work that will serve the basis for your final assessment. Students will, in addition, have individual tutorial contact with the module leader in order to discuss their written work for this module.
| Assessment |
You will submit one assessment with two components.
Part I (if written, a maximum of 2,000 words) will take the form of an example of public history, to be agreed with the module convenor or supervisor. Possible formats include: a webpage, a design for an exhibition, an historic house booklet, a script for a radio programme, a proposal for a TV series. Part II (of 1,000 words) will provide the rationale for Part I, reflecting on the role of historical knowledge in non-academic environments, and situating Part I in the context of critical writing on public history.
