HI-602 Critical Knowledge and Heritage Production in History

The course is connected to the following study programs

• PhD Programme in Humanities and Education

Teaching language

English

Prerequisites

Students must be admitted to a relevant PhD programme

Course contents

The history of knowledge has established itself as a fruitful research field in the last ten years. The history of knowledge was able to broaden the scope of the history of science by including more subjects and creating an awareness of social asymmetries and contexts in which science has emerged. Also, the history of knowledge has been able to challenge the canon of the history of science. Questions of the historical contingencies which made some knowledge fields prevail against other fields, as well as questions of the circulation of knowledge across societies are being asked. In addition, the aspect of the materiality, production, transfer, and in general context and provenience of texts and objects will be relevant in this class. Thereby, we will combine history with critical heritage studies in an interdisciplinary manner. Not least, the history of knowledge develops the researchers’ awareness of their own contexts in which they establish science.

 

This course is open to all PhD students writing a dissertation in history or heritage studies. The training promises to hone critical thinking skills, an awareness of epistemology which ties into questions of methodology:

• What knowledge do I produce when I follow my research plans?
• What kind of images and representations do I produce?
• What kind of power asymmetries am I encountering?
• What theoretical models do I apply and why?
• What archives and collections am I working out of?
• What sources were produced and in which instances were sources not produced and archived?
• Where does a historical object come from?

Developing a course for PhD students in the history of knowledge contributes to their training by enhancing their theoretical, methodological, self-reflective, and ethical competences that they need to acquire in order to complete a doctorate. Discussion about ethics will be closely tied to historical research. Finally, the PhD students will develop their ability to think historically and critically. 

Learning outcomes

After taking this course, the candidate will 

• become familiar with historical contingencies within the fields of history and critical heritage studies…
• achieve an understanding of history as an interdisciplinary field of academic study
• be trained in recognizing in asymmetries within current and historical knowledge production
• be able to analyze empirical cases within wider historical contexts

Examination requirements

Paper on a question pertaining to one´s own research and the course (pensum), as well as an oral presentation during the course.

Teaching methods

It will be a two-day and a one-day workshop. Teaching methods will include a combination of lectures, seminar discussions, presentation, and discussion of papers. The course is conducted in English.

Offered as Single Standing Module

Yes.

Assessment methods and criteria

Paper on a question pertaining to one´s own research and the course (pensum), as well as an oral presentation during the course.