HIST 610: History and Historical Methods

Fall 2025

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

This is the first part of an introductory two- course sequence for new graduate students intended to acquaint them with some important issues regarding the professional practice of history. This semester concentrates on historiography, theoretical questions, and methodological debates that today's working historians inevitably encounter. Students read about the practice of historical scholarship and read several important texts representing different approaches to the discipline over the past 200 years. Students write several short book reviews, position papers, and a mock grant proposal during this semester. This course is required of incoming graduate students in history. It usually will be followed by HIST 61100, Research Practicum.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  1. Become familiar with current trends in historical writing and argumentation
  2. Master a certain amount of knowledge about the evolution of the historical profession (historiography) but more importantly, recognize problems inherent in asking and answering historical questions using documentary evidence and other sources available to scholars
  3. Be able to formulate a research question and situate it within a context of existing historical scholarship, arguing for its significance to the community of scholars to whom it is addressed
  4. Develop critical thinking and communication skills
  5. Learn ethical research conduct and the appropriate use of historical investigation

LEARNING RESOURCES/ TEXTS

All or excerpts from the following books, which represent a variety of intellectual frameworks within the discipline of history

  • Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)
  • E.P. Thompson, The Making Of The English Working Class (1963)
  • Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (1973)
  • Eugene Genovese, Roll Jordan Roll (1974)
  • Edward W. Said, Orientalism (1978)
  • Donald Wooster, Dust Bowl (1979)
  • Robert Darnton, The Great Cat Massacre (1984)
  • Joan W. Scott, American Historical Review, 91 (Dec. 1986):1053-1075
  • Peter Novick, That Noble Dream (1988)
  • Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A Midwife’s Tale, (1991)
  • George Chauncey, Gay New York (1995)
  • Thomas Sugrue, The Origins of the Urban Crisis, (1996)
  • Daniel Rodgers, Intellectual History Newsletter,18 (1996); 21-3.
  • Matti Peltonen, History & Theory, 40 (Oct. 2001): 347-59.
  • Ann Laura Stoler, Journal of American History 88 (Dec. 2001) 829-865.
  • Thomas Bender, Rethinking American History in a Global Age, (2002)
  • Richard Evans, Lying About Hitler: History, Holocaust and the David Irving Trial (2002)
  • Joanne Freeman, The Democratic Experiment (2003)
  • Richard Brown, Journal of the Early Republic 23.1 (Spring 2003): 1-20.
  • Ann Blair, “Note Taking as an Art of Transmission,” Critical Inquiry Conference, 2004
  • Chauncey, George. GLQ 10, no. 3 (2004): 509-538.
  • Thomas Bender, A Nation Among Nations, (2006)
  • Philip J. Ethington, Rethinking History 11.4 (Dec 2007): 465-93.
  • Ed. Anne Kelly Knowles, Placing History (2008)
  • Margot Canaday, The Straight State (2009)
  • Richard White, Spatial History Lab, February 1, 2010. 1-6.
  • Daniel Rodgers, The Age of Fracture, (2011)
  • Bernhard Struck et al, International History Review, 33.4 (Dec. 2011): 573-84.
  • Richard White, Railroaded (2011)
  • Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History (2012)
  • Samuel Redman, “Historical Research in Archives: A Practical Guide,” American Historical Association (2013).
  • ed. Marc Silverstone, A Companion to John F. Kennedy, 2014
  • Jo Guldi and David Armitage, The History Manifesto (2014)
  • American Historical Review, (April 2015): 527-554.
  • Michel- Rolph Trouillot, Silencing the Past (2015)
  • Anna Green and Kathleen Troup, eds. The Houses Of History (2016)

ASSIGNMENTS

  • Regular participation and involvement in all class discussions (40% )
  • Book review of a monograph essential to your field (15%)
  • Historiographical essay of a chosen topic in your field (20%)
  • Research proposal (25%)

COURSE GRADES

Final course grade will be calculated as follows:

93-100 = A

90-92.9 = A-

87-89.9 = B+

83-86.9 = B

80-82.9 = B-

77-79.9 = C+

73-76.9 = C

70-72.9 = C-

67-69.9 = D+

63-66.9 = D

60-62.9 = D-

<60 = F

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION POLICY

In this class, students are encouraged to exercise their right to free inquiry and expression. You are welcome to express any view on the subject matter introduced by the instructor or other class members within the structure of the course. While you are responsible for learning the content of this course, you remain free to take a reasoned exception to the views presented and to reserve judgment about matters of conscience, controversy, or opinion. When you encounter ideas that you find offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrongheaded, you are encouraged to engage them with reasons, evidence, and arguments. Your course grade will be based on your academic performance, not on the opinions you express or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Our commitment to freedom of expression means that no relevant ideas or positions are out of bounds, but disruptive or disorderly behavior, threats, or harassment are strictly prohibited and will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Students.

See the University's “Commitment to Freedom of Expression” and “Bill of Student Rights” in them University Policies and Statements module on Brightspace.