HIST 525 Introduction to Public History (3)

This course is designed to explore the history, theory, and current issues of public history practice in the United States. Public history is about recognizing the public as history makers and “doing” history for a public audience. As such, public history can take numerous forms-including, but not limited to, oral history, folklore, museum curating, historical preservation, cultural conservation, and community activism. As an interdisciplinary field, public history incorporates methodologies from such disciplines as history, art history, architectural history, archeology, anthropology, folklore, and cultural geography. This course will therefore provide an introduction to different forms of public history, particularly by examining the theoretical underpinnings and methodologies that have shaped each one.

In addition to examining the theoretical frameworks for public history, we will pay close attention to social and ethical issues particular to this field, many of which stem from the demands of engaging with a public audience. Furthermore, we will investigate how race, class, and gender identities have shaped contemporary practice.

The topics we will cover include: memory and public commemoration, material culture, historic preservation, oral history, storytelling, folklife studies/public folklore, museum studies, and digital history.
Course Frequency: Fall