Critical practice in History Theme: Europe in 1848
Monica Fernandes, Academic Skills Adviser
Objectives • • • • •
Workshop details How to contact me What is critical practise in History? Group activity The importance of primary sources
Historical scholarship • This programme aims to develop your scholarship in the practice of history • We will focus on – your upcoming assignments – preparing for your dissertation
• The workshops will be participation and activity based and will utilise course materials
Our workshops this term‌ Week 2: Critical practice in History Week 3: Critical reading Week 4: Understanding and making arguments Week 5: Evidence, using sources and reasoning Week 6: Planning and structuring arguments Week 7: Adding authority and references Week 8: Writing as a Historian Week 9: Creating and understanding dissertations Week 10: Writing a proposal/ dissertation workshop
About Me • Contact monica.fernandes@brunel.ac.uk • ASK consultations: – Monday – Friday 12-2pm – Book at www.brunel.ac.uk/askappointments
• Politics and History consultations: – Monday 11-12, Wednesday 2-3 in MJ243
What do we mean by critical practise? • Interrogate the sources – Constantly question work – I.e- never accept it as absolute truth
• Look at the different perspectives and interpretations of the sources
Task: What is Global History? • Divide into four even groups (Groups 1,2,3,4) • Groups 1 & 2: Discuss the question ‘What is Global History?’ • Groups 3 & 4: Observe the discussion and take notes
Creating history • Write your own account of what happened on a post-it note • Group 1 trade these with Group 2, Group 3 with Group 4
• Within your groups, read through the accounts and reconstruct the event – Ask ‘What happened?’
Critical history • What happened during the original group discussion, based on the available evidence? • What are the primary questions you asked about the available evidence? • To what extent do you think your interpretation captured what had happened?
Critiquing primary sources • What evidence did you consider in reconstructing the event? • To what extent did your experiences ‘colour’ your secondary interpretation? • Can we ever objectively reconstruct historical phenomena?
What is the point of this exercise? • This activity is an act of critical thinking applied to historical scholarship • This seminar programme seeks to develop your ability to critically engage with history by focusing on; – Reading – Writing – Research
What is Critical Thinking? Critical thinking is a questioning attitude, rather than a set of skills • There is a shift in dealing with knowledge in university, especially in History... – Don’t get caught in the trap of solely describing work... Describing information
Analysing and evaluating information
Asking historical questions • Whilst it is vital to have a critical attitude, the questions we ask through this curiosity are driven by the demands of historical scholarship • Different perspectives, and modes of investigation, ask different questions
Where does History’s reliance on primary sources come from? • Epistemological conflict is where debates about sources started. • Primary sources became popular in the late 18th century • Any theoretical assumptions of the work you read and interpret will affect how you read, research and respond to the text.
What are the primary sources used to understand Europe in 1848?
Thinking about the activity, were there different historical perspectives being discussed?
If so, how did these differences influence the way that the event was reconstructed?
For help… Contact me on: monica.fernandes@brunel.ac.uk Or see me during my consultation times at MJ 243: – Monday: 11:00-12:00 – Wednesday: 14:00- 15:00