HIST 251   The Politics of History

While the discipline of history is often approached as a collection of static, undisputed facts, the past is constantly re-interpreted and re-written to suit the needs of those living in the present. Far from being an apolitical exercise or a straightforward empirical investigation, history is contested and hijacked by individuals and groups who seek to use it to advance their interests and promote their agendas. History is not only subject to intense and divisive public debates, it frequently appears at the center of both latent and active inter-group conflicts. Through close readings of key texts and hands-on engagement with contemporary case studies, this course aims to provide an overview of the politics of history. The scope of the course is global, and the methodological approach is multi-disciplinary, spanning such fields as history, political science, public and international affairs, memory studies, museum studies, and peace and conflict studies. (TR)