The course “Introduction to Historiography (HIST-5101)” introduces students to some of the important frameworks through which academic historians approach the human past. By surveying and analysing the distinct approaches to the past, the course will ground students in what historiography is and why it matters.  There are three main threads running through the course:

1) History of historiography: narrating and explaining the development of distinctive approaches within history since its emergence as a university-based discipline.

2) Theorising historiography: how historians theorise what historiography is and distinctive historiographical approaches to the past.

3) Historiography in practice: how historians 'apply' these distinctive approaches to generate new understandings of past societies across different chronological and geographical contexts.

 

Intended Course Learning Outcomes (ICLOs)

On completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. have a critical understanding of the different frameworks in which historians approach history, and the significance of historiography;
2. have sufficient knowledge to compare scholarly historical works to one another and evaluate their effectiveness
3. will have sound knowledge to debate scholarly historical literature in a seminar setting.

Assessment Criteria:

1) Attendance and Class Participation: 10 %

75% of attendance would be mandatory to take the final term exams. Students are encouraged to participate in class discussion and ask questions. Students are expected to come to class well prepared, having read the assigned reading for each class. Please come to class on time. Habitually coming to class late will be penalized. Cell phones must be turned off. If your phone rings in class on more than one occasion, I will ask you to leave class.

2) Presentation and Assignments: 8%

3) Quiz: 2%

4) Mid Term Examination: 30%

5) Final Term  Examination: 50%

Class Days and Timings:

• Monday        (08:00 - 09:30)
• Friday           (11:00 - 12:30)

Recommended Books:

1. Michael Bentley, “Modern Historiography: An Introduction,” (London: Routledge: 2005).

2. Charles Hegel, “The Philosophy of History,” (Kitchener: Batoshe Books: 2001).