Critical Social Inquiry 0271 - History and Memory

Scholars are accustomed to using the term "history" in the dual sense of both historical events and the writing of history. In recent years, they have also turned increasingly to the relationship between "history and memory": as the journal of that name puts it, "the manifold ways in which the past shapes the present and is shaped by present perceptions." The course explores some of the ways that groups and individuals have recalled, interpreted, and appropriated the past, primarily in modern and contemporary Central Europe. Probable topics include: cultural landscapes, the formation of national cultures and identities, the First World War, and the Holocaust. Intended for concentrators and especially, students considering Div III work in history.

Independent Work Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.