Historical Theory and Practice (MHI331)


Course description for study year 2024-2025. Please note that changes may occur.

Facts

Course code

MHI331

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

15

Semester tution start

Spring

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Spring

Language of instruction

English

Content

This course examines the principles and assumptions underlying different forms of historical practice. Through class discussion and critical reflection, students are introduced to the key debates that have shaped the development of history both as an academic discipline and public form of knowledge. Students reflect on the current state of historical practice by gaining knowledge of the changing intellectual contexts that have shaped how historians work.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Students will be able to

  • demonstrate knowledge of debates in the theory and method of history, including the challenges posed by new forms of global, planetary and more-than-human history
  • demonstrate knowledge of the ways in which methodological decisions influence the construction of historical knowledge

Skills

Students will be able to

  • recognise, evaluate and begin to apply concepts and methods employed in different forms of historical practice
  • construct arguments concerning the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to doing history

General competence

Students will be able to

  • demonstrate sensitivity to the diversity of historical cultures and the ethical implications of historical inquiry within a global context
  • account for the factors that create agreement and disagreement among historians as a community of scholars

Required prerequisite knowledge

HIS175 What is History? Historiography, Historical Theory, Method and History Didactics

Exam

Reflective journal and book analysis

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Reflective journal 2/5 Letter grades
Book analysis 3/5 Letter grades

Reflective journal: 1500 wordBook analysis: 2000 wordSubmission dates for the exams you will find in Studentweb.

Coursework requirements

Attendance 75%, Reflective Journal, Individual presentation
  • 75% attendance
  • reflective journal submit in Canvas before each lecture (10 in total)
  • 1 individual presentation of the week’s topic

If an assignment is assessed as not approved, the student will be given one further opportunity to submit a revised assignment

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Markus Eldegard Mindrebø

Study Adviser:

Signe Ekenberg

Method of work

Lectures, student presentations and student-led discussion

Overlapping courses

Course Reduction (SP)
Academic writing, theory and method in history (MHI330_1) 15
Humanistic theory and methods (MLE330_1) 10

Open for

Master in History and History Didactics and incoming exchange students.

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital subject evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto