Syllabus
This module takes the format of a two hour seminar and occasional tutorials (weeks 5 and 10 of terms one and two; and week one of term 3)
TERM ONE
Defining the Public and Heritage
1. This week will introduce students to the module, including how the module will be taught and assessed. Students will be given the list of organizations already established to consider.
2. This week will explore origins and concepts in public history and heritage, as well as some of the major debates shaping the field. In addition, in this class we will discuss placements.
Readings:
History in Practice, by L. J. Jordanova. Chapter Six
Who's Heritage? Unsettling 'The Heritage', Reimagining the Postnation, by Stuart Hall
Questions to consider:
- What is (public) history? What’s it purpose?
- What is heritage?
- How does public history differ from academic history?
- Why is public history and heritage so contentious?
- What role does the historian play in debates around heritage and public history?
Collecting, Managing and Preserving the Past
3. The Politic of Archives
This week will focus on the collection and storage of archival documents, as well as discussion on the politics of what gets collected and stored and what does not. THIS CLASS WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE MODERN RECORDS CENTRE, NEXT DOOR TO THE LIBRARY
Readings:
Joan M. Schwartz and Terry Cook, ‘Archives, Records and Power: The Making of the Modern Memory’, Archival Science 2: 1-2 (2002), pp. 1-19
Verne Harris, ‘The Archival Sliver: Power, Memory, and Archives in South Africa’, Archival Science 2: 1-2 (2002), pp. 63-86.
If you have more time:
Silencing the past : power and the production of history, by Michel Rolph Trouillot, pp1-30
David Anderson, ‘Guilty Secrets: Deceit, Denial, and the Discovery of Kenya’s ‘Migrated Archive’ History Workshop Journal, Volume 80, Issue 1, 1 October 2015, pp. 142–160
Questions to consider:
- What are archives?
- Why can we talk about the 'politics' of archival sources?
- What role does archives play in our understanding of heritage and nation?
- Where does 'power' fit into all of this?
4. Oral Histories and Memory
This week will look at the development of oral histories and memory studies. Students will learn about its uses in historical research and writing, its benefits and limitations. In addition, we will discuss how to write a blog, which is due in Week 7 of Term 1.
Readings:
The voice of the past : oral history, by Paul Thompson , pp 25-81
Starecheski, Amy, ‘Squatting History: The Power of Oral History as a History-Making Practice’, The Oral History Review, Volume 41, Issue 2, 1 September 2014, pp. 187–216.
Questions to consider:
- What is oral history?
- How is it different or similar to archival based history?
- What are the criticisms?
- Why is there an ‘international movement’?
- How may it be useful in heritage and public history?
Making History Public
5. Policy, court and the Historian
The focus this week will be on the use of historical research and the role of the historian as ‘expert’ in public policy and court.
Guest Speaker: Professor David Anderson
Readings:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jul/25/kenya-empire-mau-mau-britain
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/burying-bones-past
WEEK 5 Tutorial: Placements/Projects and Blogs
WEEK 6: READING WEEK
History on Film and Fiction, part One
The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)
Please come prepared to critically watch. For some background, please consider reading:
Davis, Natalie Zemon, The Return of Martin Guerre, pp. vii-ix (Preface).
Finley, Robert, 'AHR Forum: The Refashioning of Martin Guerre'
Davis, Natalie Zemon, 'AHR Forum: The Return of Martin Guerre "On the Lame"'
7. NO CLASS
8. History on Film and Fiction, part Two
Using historical film/tv or fiction, this week will look at how historical research is translated into film and other popular public mediums. Discussion will focus on the challenges such medium present, the role of the historian in the production, and the possible uses for dissemination of historical research.
Readings:
From Lecture Theatres to Film Sets with Hannah Greig: Podcast
History on film/film on history, Robert A. Rosenstone, pp. 1-36
Questions to Consider:
- What does film add or take away from historical production and dissemination?
- What are some of the issues or dangers?
- How is history in print and history on film similar?
9.
10. Digital Public History
This will discuss websites, apps, and other digital forms used in historical research and dissemination. Students will be introduced to digital humanities.
In addition, we will also spend some of this class discussing the essays due in term two and finalizing details on placements/projects.
Readings:
Digital games as history: How videogames represent the past and offer access to historical practice, Adam Chapman, introduction
Gaming history: computer and video games as historical scholarship, Dawn Spring, pp 207-221.
Questions to Consider:
How is digital technologies shaping or changing historical scholarship?
What are the benefits or dangers does video games or social media pose for understandings of history?
TERM TWO
Student Facilitated Seminars
WEEK 1
David Nemeth
Topic:
The (mis)representation of ethnic histories in public history.
Readings:
- Paula Hamilton, James B. Gardner, and Hilda Keane. "Public History as a Social Form of Knowledge." The Oxford Handbook of Public History. : Oxford University Press, October 05, 2017. [accessed 19 Dec. 2019], < https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199766024.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199766024-e-22>.
- Dipesh Chakrabarty, “Minority histories, subaltern pasts”, Postcolonial Studies, 1.1, (1998), 15-29. <http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/dipesh%20minority%20histories.pdf>
- Chris Taylor, Diversity and Inclusion (2019) < https://inclusivehistorian.com/diversity-and-inclusion/> [accessed 19 December 2019].
- Marian Carpenter, View from the field: the challenges to being inclusive in museum collections (2019) < https://inclusivehistorian.com/view-from-the-field-the-challenges-to-being-inclusive-in-museum-collections/> [accessed 19 December 2019].
- Ann Gray, Erin Bell, History on Television (Oxon: Routledge, 2013), pp. 1-25, pp. 109-138. <https://0-doi-org.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/10.4324/9780203074800>
Questions to Consider:
- Are minorities underrepresented in aspects of public history, and/or is there a deliberate omittance of minority histories?
- Is it important that historical actors are represented true to their ethnic origin? Why? (examples: Achilles, in Troy: Fall of a City, BBC, 2018; Antonio ‘Tony’ Mendez in Argo, 2012)
- Can underrepresentation result in trends to “diversify” histories and historical actors?
- Are there consequences in misrepresenting or underrepresenting ethnic groups in public history?
Izzy Conway
Topic:
The controversy of Dana Schultz’s ‘Open Casket’, and the ownership of art and history
Readings:
General Overview
- Oliver Basciano, ‘Whitney Biennial: Emmett Till casket painting by white artist sparks anger’, The Guardian, 21st March 2017, < https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/mar/21/whitney-biennial-emmett-till-painting-dana-schutz >, [Accessed 18 December 2019]
- Klaus Speidel, ‘Dana Schultz’s “Open Casket”: A controversy around a painting as a symptom of an art world malady’, Spike Art Magazine, 24th March 2017, < https://www.spikeartmagazine.com/en/articles/dana-schutzs-open-casket-controversy-around-painting-symptom-art-world-malady >, [Accessed 18 December 2019]
- Coco Fusco, ‘Censorship, Not the Painting, Must Go: On Dana Schutz’s Image of Emmett Till’, Hyperallergic, 27th March 2017, < https://hyperallergic.com/368290/censorship-not-the-painting-must-go-on-dana-schutzs-image-of-emmett-till/ >, [Accessed 18 December 2019]
- Alex Greenberger, ‘The Painting Must Go’: Hannah Black Pens Open Letter to the Whitney About Controversial Biennial Work’, ARTnews, 21st March 2017, < https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/the-painting-must-go-hannah-black-pens-open-letter-to-the-whitney-about-controversial-biennial-work-7992/ >, [Accessed 19 December 2019]
- Josephine Livingstone and Lovia Gyarkye, ‘The Case Against Dana Schutz’, The New Republic, 22nd March 2017, < https://newrepublic.com/article/141506/case-dana-schutz >, [Accessed 19 December 2019]
Questions to Consider:
- Should we use historical events as inspiration for art?
- What are the pros and cons of this?
- Should certain groups be allowed to have “jurisdiction” over the artistic presentation of certain historical issues?
- How should we, as historians, engage with violence that still resonates with contemporary audiences?
WEEK 2
Heather Fellows
Topic: Should Historic Artefacts be Repatriated to the Country of Origin?
Readings:
- ‘They've Lost Their Marbles: 2002 Universal Museums' Declaration, the Elgin Marbles and the Future of the Repatriation Movement’, Authors: Knox, Christine K, Source: Suffolk Transnational Law Review, Vol. 29, Issue 2 (Summer 2006), pp. 315-336 available online from the University library at https://0-heinonline-org.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/sujtnlr29&id=319&collection=journals&index=journals/sujtnlr
- ‘Great art should stay in museums, not be returned to where it was made’, Tiffany Jenkins, Evening Standard. 11/30/2018, p16, available online from the University library at http://0-eds.a.ebscohost.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=0058c74e-0641-471b-85dc-2771b6f85bb8%40sessionmgr4006&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=133287657&db=bwh.
- As an alternative to the above readings, there is an interesting radio debate available on BBC Sounds, broadcast on 27th February 2016. The Moral Maze - ‘Who Owns Culture’, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0717cpy.
Questions to Consider:
- Do artefacts such as the Elgin Marbles and the Benin Bronzes ‘belong’ to the world or the country in which they were created?
- Does this depend upon how and when they were acquired or how long ago they were acquired?
- What role should museums and other places of heritage play?
Emily Hughes
Topic: How does social media activism help us define and perserve history?
Questions to Consider:
- What are the advantages and limitations of social media in terms of making progress and defining history?
- How do factors of bias and accuracy affect how history will be preserved on social media?
- How does online activism compare to activism of the past?
- From the student demonstrations in the 1960s to the present-day Climate Strikes, activism is frequently youth-driven. How will the mobilisation of social media by the youth have an impact on history?
Readings:
- Zeynep Tufekci, ‘Introduction’, Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest, 2017.
- Only 3 copies are available of this online through the library so please download the introduction as a PDF rather than keeping it open in a tab!
- Peter Beaumont, ‘The truth about Twitter, Facebook and the uprisings in the Arab world’, The Guardian, 2011. [Accessed 16 December 2019]
- Sabina Khan-Ibarra, ‘The Case for Social Media and Hashtag Activism’, The Huffington Post, 2015. [Accessed 16 December 2019]
Notable social activist hashtags to look at on Twitter include:
- #BlackLivesMatter – Hashtag started in 2013 as a response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman following his fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
- #MeToo – Hashtag started in 2017 as a response to the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations.
Youth-led activism on Twitter:
- @GretaThunberg – Climate Change strikes
- #MarchForOurLives – Hashtag started in 2017 as a response to the Parkland School Shooting.
3. Field Trip: Birmingham Art Gallery and Museum and National Trust Birmingham Back to Backs
Before the trip:
- Please make sure you do the readings assigned: de Groot, Jerome, ‘Museums, Tourism, Gift Shops and the Historical Experience’, in Consuming History: Historians and Heritage in Contemporary Popular Culture (London: Routledge, 2016), pp. 290-309.
- You may want to familiarize yourself with the Birmingham Art Gallery and Museum website and the National Trust Back to Backs prior to visiting.
Birmingham Art Gallery and Museum:
Chamberlain Square
Birmingham
B3 3DH
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag
National Trust Back to Backs:
50-54, 55-63 Inge St, Hurst St
Birmingham B5 4TE
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/birmingham-back-to-backs
4.
Glory Chan
Topic: Historical Reenactments
Readings:
- Alexander Cook, 'The Use and Abuse of Historical Reenactment: Thoughts on Recent Trends in Public History', Criticism, 46.3, (Summer 2004), 487-496.
- Heather Horn, ‘Candidate's Nazi Reenactments Fuel Heated Debate’, The Atlantic, 12 October 2010, <https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/10/candidate-s-nazi-reenactments-fuel-heated-debate/343860/> [Accessed 15 January 2020].
Further readings:
- Rebecca Onion, ‘What It Felt Like’, Slate, 20 May 2019, <https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/05/history-classroom-role-playing-games-slavery-holocaust.html> [Accessed 15 January 2020].
- Rory Turner, 'Bloodless Battles: The Civil War Reenacted', TDR, 34.4, (Winter 1990), 123-136.
- Sarah Schwartz, ‘Mock Auctions. Pretending to Flee Captors. Do Simulations Have a Place in Lessons on Slavery?’, Education Week, 27 March 2019, <https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/03/26/mock-auctions-pretending-to-flee-captors-do.html?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss> [Accessed 15 January 2020].
Questions to Consider:
- To what extent do historical reenactments improve public understanding of history?
- Do sensitive topics have a place in historical reenactments?
- Does the purpose of historical reenactment matter?
Matilda Hanning
Topic: Profiting from Tragedy: Dark Heritage and It’s controversy
Readings:
- BBC. 2017. "Dark Tourism", The Why Factor < https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csvtbt >]
Alternative Link, Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1HmXl2raqPJpcvHKNY2cmB?si=3QiwrAG0SWeMGRuRb5pCz
TRIGGER WARNING: This documents someone’s visit to sites such as Auschwitz, the sites of
the Rwandan genocide, and Grenfell. It can be upsetting to listen to at times so please feel free
to give it a miss if you would prefer.
- Candace Forbes Bright,, Derek H. Alderman, and David L. Butler. 2016. "Tourist plantation
owners and slavery: a complex relationship", Current Issues in Tourism , 21: 1743-1760
< http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2016.1190692 > (access through institition) NOTE: This is
quite a dense article, but useful. If you are pressed for time, feel free to just read the conclusion
as it is brief but a good summary. - Alison Flood. 2020. "The Tattooist of Auschwitz attacked as inauthentic by camp memorial
centre", the Guardian
< https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/dec/07/the-tattooist-of-auschwitz-attacked-as-inauth
entic-by-camp-memorial-centre > - Annaclaudia Martini, and Dorina Maria Buda. 2018. "Dark tourism and affect: framing places of death and disaster", Current Issues in Tourism : 1-14 < http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2018.1518972 >
Questions to Consider:
- The Martini and Buda article talks about ‘thanatourism’ - to what extent do you think that
is an impetus for people visiting heritage sites that center themselves on tragedy? - Bright, Alderman and Butler discuss private/family, state and non-profit organisation
plantation ownership, do you think that state or non-profit run/regulated heritage sites
would be a better way of ensuring sites of tragedy are presented to the public in the
most appropriate and respectful way? - Similarly, do you think it is fair to argue that private ownership makes room for a
‘selective view’ of the past? What are the implications of this? - This topic can also concern media/literature representations of tragedy throughout
history. What, if any, do you think are the issues that can come from these forms of
heritage?
5.
Seminars
Lauren Cooper
Topic: The Teaching of History for Children
Sources: Watch the video and browse the website, paying attention to the way historical information has been presented for children. Examine the aims and content of the national curriculum.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC6okzIKQvg(Horrible Histories- The Monarchs Song)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/(BBC History for Kids)
- 'History programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2', Department for Education, 2013.
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239035/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_History.pdf [accessed 23 January 2020] (for reference- the KS1 and KS2 national curriculums)
Readings:
- Pat Hoodles, ‘Introduction: Why Teach History in Primary Schools?’ in Teaching History in Primary Schools, (Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd, 2008).https://0-sk-sagepub-com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/books/teaching-history-in-primary-schools[accessed 25 January 2020]
- Niall Ferguson, ‘History has never been so unpopular’, The Guardian, 29 March 2011.<https://www.theguardian.com/education/2011/mar/29/history-school-crisis-disconnected-events> [accessed 25 January 2020]
- Trevor Fisher, ‘History in Education: An Ongoing Debate’, History Today, 31 March 2004.<https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-education-ongoing-debate> [accessed 26 January 2020]
- The Secret Teacher, ‘Secret Teacher, the emphasis on British History is depriving students of balance’, The Guardian, 26 May 2018.<https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2018/may/26/secret-teacher-history-bias-school-fear-student-future> [accessed 26 January 2020]
Questions:
- Thinking about the first two sources and other forms of public history for children, is this new, fun approach to learning history effective, or does it draw away from the educational aspects of the subject?
- Does the history children are taught in schools provide an objective view of the past, or are certain perspectives and narratives emphasised? E.g. Anglocentric, Eurocentric, patriarchal, certain historiographical perspectives.
- Are Niall Ferguson’s arguments of the limitations and ineffectiveness of the British history curriculum valid? Do you think the school curriculum covers a range of relevant topics to provide a sufficient knowledge of history?
- Should the school curriculum focus primarily on British history or is it important to diversify this study and examine wider world histories as well?
Jess Largie
Topic: Portrayals of Women in Historical film/television
Readings:
- From Crusading Queen to Damsel in Distress: Re‐Imagining Sibylla of Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven -
https://0-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/doi/full/10.1111/1468-0424.12404 - Not in this day and age: when will TV stop horrendously airbrushing history? -
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/may/05/downton-abbey-jamestown-call-the-midwife-when-will-period-dramas-stop-horrendously-airbrushing-history - Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum -
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00377996.2011.616239?scroll=top&needAccess=true&instName=University+of+Warwick
If possibly and if you haven't done so already, please watch any of the following films. Please give some thought as to how you think they portray women in history; - Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
- Anne of 1000 Days (1969)
- The Favourite (2019)
- The Hours (2002)
Seminar Questions:
- What, if any effects do (mis)representations of women in historical film have on the public?
- Do you think that the depiction of women in historical film/TV should be altered to reflect modern narratives?
- How have the representations of men compared to the representations of women in historical film/TV?
6. READING WEEK- NO CLASS
7.
8.
Khilna Shah
Topic: The Politics of Commemoration
Readings:
- Hill Symon, ‘I'm a pacifist: here's how I'll commemorate 11th November’, 2015 https://www.premierchristianity.com/Blog/I-m-a-pacifist-here-s-how-I-ll-commemorate-11th-November
- Kempshall Chris, ‘Poppies and the politics of remembrance’, 2012 http://ww1centenary.oucs.ox.ac.uk/memoryofwar/poppies-and-the-politics-of-remembrance/
- Winter Jay, ‘The Generation of Memory: Reflections on the “Memory Boom” in Contemporary Historical Studies’, 2012, https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1329&context=cmh
- Nora Pierre, ‘Between Memory and History: Les Lieux de Mémoire ‘, 1989, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2928520?seq=1
Questions To Consider:
- In your opinion, what is the purpose of public commemoration?
- Should war commemoration be pacifist or political?
- Have a look at the German sculptor, Ernst Barlach who spread a more pacifistic message through his work. (please see attached)
- Do you agree with his anti-war stance and that memorials should mourn soldiers rather than celebrate heroism?
- What is the link between war remembrance and identity?
- Considering Jay Winters’ points about ‘the marketing of memory’ and the idea that ‘history sells’, to what extent is commemoration commercialised?
Phoebe Knight
Topic: Historical Comedy Programmes/Movies:
Questions:
- Does accuracy matter if it is a comedy?
- Is history made more accessible through comedy?
- Can laughter trivialise the history that we are being told?
- How far is ‘too far’? Where can we draw the lines between what can and can’t be made funny?
Videos:
Have a look at some of the clips below from a variety of historical comedy programmes/movies. These are only some examples, if there are other comedies that you prefer than that is also fine to look at.
- Blackadder Goes Forth (1989):
- Drunk History Harriet Tubman (2015):
- The Death of Stalin (2017):
Articles:
- ‘Making History Funny: Is any historical topic off-limits?
- The Last Laugh review – can the Holocaust ever be funny?
- ‘Uproar over Netflix show in which Hitler ‘roasts’ Anne Frank’
9.
Ruva Knight
Topic:
Readings:
Questions to Consider:
Zaeem Hoque
Topic:
Readings:
Questions to Consider:
10.
TERM THREE
21.Discussion on Reflective Journal
22.
Thomas Taylor
Topic:
Readings:
Questions to Consider:
Karima Aqli
Topic:
Readings:
Questions to Consider: