Whose History?

Dr Paul Sendziuk

School of History and PoliticsThe University of Adelaide

Session Aims

to consider the different view points from which history is presented and contemplate whose stories get left out

to challenge the primacy of ‘Great Man’ history

to understand the revolution that has taken place in the way in which history is written (and whose stories are told)

to suggest ways in which the teaching of history can be combined with other disciplines (and incorporated into other lesson plans)

For your assigned ‘historiographical’ approach:

Whose stories are privileged?

When and why did your particular historiographical school emerge?

What were the practitioners of your historiographical school reacting against? Can you name any practitioners?

Identify 3 - 4 things that characterise your historiographical school

Identify some 'pros' and 'cons' with employing your particular approach to writing history

‘Great Man’ History

the history of monarchs, emperors, politicians and military leaders that apportions achievement to individual talents

the history of extraordinary achievers – scientists, explorers, inventors - that focuses on individual genius

dominant narrative from 19thC until 1960s

Marxist History

emerges as a discipline in Western universities in 1960s

“Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past.”

- Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, 1852

posits that historical factors, and structural conditions, conspire against our best intentions – they are inescapable and constrain our choices and course of action

class is paramount, and class conflict drives history individual genius or agency is downplayed

Feminist History

emerges out of fight for women’s rights and recognition in 1960s and 1970s

gender becomes a key analytical tool

the construction of ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’ at different points in time explains the way in which society works

oppression/exploitation of women drives the economy

argues for the need to (a) write women back into historical narratives; (b) explain the consequences of their subordination

problem of sources and language

Histories of Race

emerges out of civil rights movement in 1960s and 1970s

race becomes a key analytical tool

the construction of racial superiority and inferiority at different points in time explains the way that society works

oppression/exploitation of people of subordinated races drives the economy

argues for the need to explain the consequences of racist discourses and the subordination of people of different races

Environmental History

emerges out of ecology movement in 1960s and 1970s (but was practiced by Annales historians in France in 1940s and 50s)

views humans as insignificant compared to the elements of nature – major challenge to ‘Great Man’ history

element forces of climate, topography and disease are powerful agents of change – any historical account must take into consideration how they influence human events

- Aboriginal-European conflict exacerbated by drought- Colonisation of ‘New World’- ‘Spanish Flu’ > WW1

History on Film

Use of film to teach and learn about history remains more influential than other ICT-based methods (ICT = information & computer technology)

Is film an effective medium to convey history? Can the roles of film-maker and historian be effectively combined?

Are there characteristics of the film-making process (such as the need to attract a wide audience to justify the production costs), which compromise the integrity of the story (i.e. history)?