Doing Public History

Examines history outside the classroom; its role in political/cultural debates in U.S. and abroad. Considers functions, practices, creators, and reception of history in public arena, including museums, memorials, naming of buildings, courtrooms, websites, Wikipedia, podcasts. Analyzes controversies arising when historians' work outside the academy challenges the status quo; role funders, interest groups, and the public play in promoting, shaping, or suppressing historical interpretation. Who gets to tell a group's story? What changes can public history enable? Students will engage in public history projects.