HIST7057 Making History: Current Directions in Historiography

The topic focuses on the study of the writing of history (historiography), introducing the main theoretical debates and methodological approaches within history that have developed from the nineteenth century. It guides students through different approaches to writing history and examines the roots of the current practices of historians in the 21st century. The topic introduces the practices of history, that is, the essential tasks of locating, accessing and analysing historical evidence. It will benefit anyone interested in learning about ways to understand and engage with the past.

Questions it asks include the following: Can historians be objective? Should politics and morality play any role in historical judgements? What is the relationship between history, literature, and philosophy? How do the upheavals of the present affect historians' accounts of the past? This topic explores such key questions about the nature of history and the study of the past.

This topic aims to provide:

• A strong knowledge of differing perspectives on historical events and agents and how these perspectives contribute to historical discourse within the profession and more broadly
• An in-depth understanding of the disciplinary nature of history, its disciplinary history, its methodology, and its role in the community
• An understanding of the relationship between history, literature and philosophy
• The ability to undertake historical research and reporting, including an understanding of the principles of ethical research
• The ability to effectively communicate a nuanced knowledge and understanding of historical events and concepts in written and oral form
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively

1. Critically reflect upon the historiography and theoretical literature pertaining to the writing of history
2. Defend the complexities, characteristics and legacies of varying interpretative approaches
3. Model excellent communication skills through discussion and reasoned argument
4. Compose a coherent argument through appropriate identification and synthesis of a range of historical sources