HST6089   Wikipedia and Medieval History   (15 credits)

Description

Wikipedia is today probably the world's chief source of historical knowledge. Every day, its pages on history are read by many thousands of people. Yet professional historians tend to avoid engaging with it. This course seeks to change that. As well as discussing critical perspectives on Wikipedia, students will receive practical training in creating or editing a page on a historical topic. They will then apply their studies in a hands-on way to improving the encyclopedia's coverage of the Middle Ages, and reflect on the kind of historical knowledge of the period it promotes and disseminates.

Reading List