HI2E2-15 Historiography II: Recent and Emerging Trends in History Writing, 1990 to today
Introductory description
While Historiography I introduced students to key methodological and theoretical approaches in history writing from the Enlightenment to roughly the 1990s, Historiography II explores such themes from the 1990s to the present. However, unlike Historiography I, the 9 lectures/seminars do not proceed chronologically. Instead, each week focuses on a different important theme/theory/methodology which is currently hotly debated among academic historians. Each lecture is therefore presented by a member of staff specialised in the week’s theme. While each lecture will start off with a brief introduction into the historiography of the subject, the bulk of it will concentrate on the individual lecturer’s methodological and theoretical approach. Historiography II aims to offer students a clear idea of what is currently exciting and important in Anglo-American academic history writing. It will develop students’ abilities in study, research, and oral and written communication, through a programme of seminars, lectures and essay work. Students are encouraged to link their studies in Historiography II with their other second- and third-year modules. Historiographical knowledge will help students to choose a dissertation topic and supervisor in year 3.
Module aims
This is a core module counting for one 15-CAT unit in the intermediate year. It is compulsory for all single-honours History students, optional for joint degree and other students. As a core module it complements teaching in specialised History modules, by providing a broad context for understanding developments in the discipline of history from the Enlightenment to today. The overall aims is to introduce students to the important idea that the different methodologies and theories used in history writing to explain human individual and collective agency and historical change do not exist in ‘empty space’. Since the Enlightenment they have been reflecting wider explanatory trends in a society and culture, its politics and economic structures, ethical values and morals. Powerful history is not simply written by clever women or men but requires a deep engagement with and sensitivity to the present, its possibilities and challenges. Since the Enlightenment, the past has been continuously ‘re-written’ by historians to ‘make meaning’ of an every-changing present.
The module introduces students to these ongoing changes in which the past has been understood by exploring key theories and methodologies within their specific historical context from the Enlightenment to the present. Historiography, part I (Term I) concentrates on methods and theories which dominated history writing roughly between 1750-1990, part II (Term II) focusses on more recent and emerging trends in history writing since the 1990s. It offers students a clear orientation as to what is at stake in history writing today, what is considered but also what is ‘left out’ or silenced. It also asks students to relate the historiographical developments discussed during the course to the subjects and historiographical trends they study on Advanced Option and Special Subject modules. The more recent concepts and methods encountered in the module (part II) may be helpful in crafting dissertations. Historiography is also intended to develop students’ abilities in study, research, and oral and written communication, through a programme of seminars, lectures and essay work.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
- Academic History Writing in Post-Truth Times: An Introduction
- Post-Postcolonialism
- Environmental History
- Material Culture and Global History
- Marginality
- Reading Week
- Histories of the Self
- Memory, Heritage and Public History
- Return to Marx? Histories of Class, Exploitation and Labour Movement in the 21st Century
- A New Materialism? Latest News from History Land
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the development of the academic study of history throughout the world since the 1990s.
- Generate ideas through applying current historical methods to the analysis of primary source material.
- Demonstrate an awareness of current trends in the theory and practice of historical writing, within and outside of the West.
- Analyse and evaluate the contributions made by existing scholarship.
- Communicate ideas and findings, adapting to a range of situations, audiences and degrees of complexity.
- Act with limited supervision and direction within defined guidelines, accepting responsibility for achieving deadlines.
Indicative reading list
Generic Reading lists can be found in Talis
Specific reading list for the module can be found on
Subject specific skills
See learning outcomes.
Transferable skills
See learning outcomes.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%) |
| Seminars | 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%) |
| Tutorials | 1 session of 1 hour (1%) |
| Other activity | 4 hours (3%) |
| Private study | 127 hours (85%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
History modules require students to undertake extensive independent research and reading to prepare for seminars and assessments. As a rough guide, students will be expected to read and prepare to comment on three substantial texts (articles or book chapters) for each seminar taking approximately 3 hours. Each assessment requires independent research, reading around 6-10 texts and writing and presenting the outcomes of this preparation in an essay, review, presentation or other related task.
Other activity description
2 essay writing workshops each term (term 1; term 2)
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A4
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
|||
| Seminar Contribution | 10% | No | |
Reassessment component |
|||
| 1000 word reflective essay in lieu of Seminar Contribution | Yes (extension) | ||
|
1000 word reflective piece. |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| 1500 word essay | 30% | Yes (extension) | |
|
1500 word assignment. |
|||
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| 3000 word essay | 60% | Yes (extension) | |
|
3000 word assignment. |
|||
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Feedback on assessment
Written feedback will be delivered through Tabula. Feedback on assessments will be given in tutorials.
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 2 of UHIA-V100 Undergraduate History
- Year 2 of UHIA-V102 Undergraduate History (Renaissance and Modern History Stream)
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 2 of UHIA-V100 Undergraduate History
This module is Optional for:
- Year 2 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
- Year 2 of UHIA-VM11 Undergraduate History and Politics
- Year 2 of UHIA-VM13 Undergraduate History and Politics (with a term in Venice)
- Year 2 of UHIA-VL13 Undergraduate History and Sociology
- Year 2 of UHIA-VL15 Undergraduate History and Sociology (with a term in Venice)
This module is Option list A for:
- Year 2 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
- Year 2 of UHIA-V1V7 Undergraduate History and Philosophy (with a term in Venice)
- Year 2 of UHIA-VM13 Undergraduate History and Politics (with a term in Venice)
- Year 2 of UHIA-VL15 Undergraduate History and Sociology (with a term in Venice)
This module is Option list B for:
- Year 2 of UHIA-VM11 Undergraduate History and Politics
This module is Option list C for:
- Year 2 of UHIA-VL13 Undergraduate History and Sociology