Can we become better historians by studying how historical knowledge has been produced and evaluated in the context of a number of historiographical debates?
The challenge for this course is to analyze five historiographical debates (titles to be announced) with what one might call ‘a heightened theoretical self-consciousness’ or with the instruments discussed in the historical methodology course. The main objective is to understand why certain historical interpretations are considered more plausible than others, which criteria are used in such processes of evaluation, why some perspectives are so hard to reconcile, and how historians fail to reach agreement due to different understandings of what causality or model-building is.
Each debate will be dealt with in two sessions. Students take part in the discussions and present a paper. Naerebout will provide an introduction to the course with special reference to the debate on the American Revolution and will chair a concluding session.
Timetable
Semester II, see timetables
Method of Instruction
Research Seminar.
Examination
Students write a 5.000 words essay.
Information
General information: f.g.naerebout@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Remarks
Copies of the required literature will be distributed or will be available in the institution’s library.
P. Lambert & P. Schofield (eds.), Making History: An Introduction to the Practices of History, London: Routledge 2004 (and later editions) is strongly recommended as a background text.