Historical Consciousness and Historical Culture

The course studies lines of development in recent theories within the didactics of history, with particular emphasis on the concepts of historical awareness, historical culture and the use of history. Reflections on the relationship between past, present and future in the communication of history. How historical cultures may be identified and analyzed in various ways. How the concepts of historical culture and historical understanding can contribute to developmental work on the didactics of history in schools, museums and the rest of society.
Methods and activities: Lectures, seminars and student presentations.

The student
- can give an account of and discuss the principal lines of development in the theoretical basis of historical didactics in recent decades
- can define and discuss the conceptual framework around historical awareness, historical culture and the application of history in different lines of argument surrounding the communication and teaching of history
- can explain and discuss whether, and possibly to what extent, curricula and textbooks paves the way for thought influenced by historical awareness and historical culture
- can discuss how such approaches may be used when communicating history in and outside school

Lectures, seminars and student presentations.