HST6042 Presenting the Past: Making History Public 2024-25

15 credits, Semester one
Module leader 2024-25: Mirela Ivanova

Module summary

This module focuses on the creation and interpretation of 'public history'. You’ll have the opportunity to develop critical skills in interrogating public history through reflecting on the issues involved in disseminating history outside academia, so it may be of particular interest if you are planning to pursue a career in heritage, museums or education.

You’ll analyse examples of public history, develop communication and presentation skills for audiences outside academic contexts, and gain experience working in a team to put these skills into practice.

As part of your assessment, you will work in a group to create an example of public history. You might create a webpage, a podcast, a design for an exhibition, an historic house booklet, a script for a radio programme, or a proposal for a TV series. You will also reflect on the value of your historical knowledge and skills outside academic study through a short essay.

Examples of previous projects:

Medieval Sheffield (Video documentary)
Forged in Time: Women of Modern Sheffield (Virtual exhibition)
The History of Sheffield's Music Scene: A fan's perspective (Video documentary)
Circa Conversations (Blog and podcast)
Wentworth Woodhouse: Britain's Forgotten Palace (Video documentary)
Jefferson: Life, Liberty, and Slavery at Monticello (Virtual exhibition)
"We are Women, We are Strong" (Video documentary)
The Old Lighthouse Podcast (Podcast)
The King's Own Royal Light Infantry in the Second World War Exhibition (Virtual exhibition)
The Battle of Orgreave (Video documentary)
Circus in the City: 250 year of Circus in Sheffield (Video documentary)
Final Remembrance Podcast (Podcast)
Western Road's War Memorial Trees (Video documentary)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, you will be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the uses of history in non-academic environments
Demonstrate the ability to reflect on their own uses of historical knowledge and skills for a non-academic audience
Demonstrate the ability to convey historical research in effective ways to a non-academic audience
Demonstrate enhanced practical skills in the use and presentation of historical evidence

Assessment methods

Assessment type - % of final mark

1,000 word reflective essay - 50%
2,000 word (or equivalent) group project - 50%

You will complete one assessment with two components.

Part I - 2000 words (or equivalent if not written) group project which will take the form of an example of public history, to be agreed with the module convenor. Possible formats include: a webpage, a design for an exhibition, an historic house booklet, a script for a radio programme, a proposal for a TV series.

Part II - a 1000 word reflective essay providing the rationale for Part I, reflecting on the role of historical knowledge in non-academic environments, and situating Part I in the context of critical writing on public history.

Please refer to the specific Presenting the Past Group Project marking criteria and also the Reflective Essay marking criteria.

Additional learning and teaching information

Teaching and indicative seminar plan:

The module will be taught in five, two-hour classes. You will also have individual tutorial contact with the module tutor in order to discuss your assessment for this module.

The first three seminars will focus on thematic case-studies in public history. Classes will enable students to share knowledge, debate contentious issues and listen and respond to the views and ideas of others in a structured environment. The fourth and fifth sessions will involve student presentations or displays of work that will serve the basis for their final assessments.

Seminars will include discussion of a wide range of issues related to public history. These include, for example: displaying objects and presenting historic interiors; the use of history in political and social movements; commemoration and memorialisation; and the diverse forms public history can take, including sound, vision, and digital media.

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