Public History

The course provides a broad overview of the study of public history employed on Norwegian examples. The study of public history is interdisciplinary where terms as memory, myths, identity and historical consciousness are central. The course provides a broad introduction to this set of themes where we analyze and discuss the most important terms and explanatory models with the use of examples of current interest.

Knowledge:
The candidate knows how to distinguish between various usages of history and how public history has had an impact on society.

These usages involve knowledge about, and understanding of, these concepts, topics and typologies:
-Concepts: public history, concepts/narratives, historical consciousness, identity, collective memory, places of commemoration, monuments and myths.
-Topics: public history in the construction of nations, in schools, everyday life and in commercial enterprises.
Typologies: the typologies and models of the use of public history by Klas-Göran Karlsson and Ola Svein Stugu.

Skills:
The candidate is able to apply and discuss the different models and theories mentioned above, in analyses of public history.

Lectures, group work in blogs and logs and excursions. The blog and logs must be approved before final examination. All together the groups need to write aproximately 10 blog posts with logs. Students can apply for an exemption and rather write an assignment.