This course will examine how history operates outside of the classroom and the ivory towers of academia. It will introduce students to the history, ideas, and best practices that shape the world of public history. How do institutions like museums, archives, and historic sites balance the standards of formal academic scholarship with the demands of interpreting history for a larger public audience? What role do these cultural organizations play in the construction of larger historical narratives? What responsibilities do they have to their audience, stakeholders, and society? The course will turn on five key concepts that shape the world of public history: history and memory, shared authority/inquiry, agendas and audiences, legal and ethical frameworks, and economics and entrepreneurship. Through class readings, discussions, and fieldwork, students will develop an understanding of not only the theories and ideas behind public history, but also the practical daily concerns public historians encounter on the ground. The course will help prepare students who are considering a career in museums, archives, historic sites, historic preservation, and the nonprofit sector. Students will also work directly with local public history organizations to complete projects related to the history of Connecticut. |