History for Historians (HIST40030)

History for Historians is designed to enable History students to reflect critically upon their discipline: its history, its theory, its methods, and its practice. Such reflection will enhance students' research for, and writing of, their theses, and the assessment tasks directly incorporate students' thesis research. For these reasons, this seminar is compulsory for all students enrolled in pure History Honours. Students will be introduced to key developments in historiography from early modernity to post modernity. They will examine the application of a range of social theories and methodologies to the practice of History. They will also approach the task of their own research and writing of history through sessions on archival and bibliographical searches, on developing skills of historiographical analysis, on the use of written, oral, and visual sources, and on the creative act of transforming these historical sources into interpretative narratives to communicate to others.