Introduction to historical consciousness

1. Knowledge

Upon completion of the course the students shall have basic knowledge of:

• The meaning of historical consciousness and its components.
• Basic historical theories and concepts related to historical consciousness, such as historical reality, historical evolution, historical thinking, use of history, historical temporalities, historical narrative.
• The limits of historical knowledge and the importance of the narrative dimension of historical studies.
• The basic modes of historical evolution.
• The role played by geography, biology, and culture in historical development and the formation and maintenance of individual and collective identities.
• The ways in which past, present, and future influence our thoughts and acts, individually and collectively.

2. Skills

Upon completion of the course the students shall be able to:

• Master central historical terms and approaches.
• Think critically on the relationship between the human being and its historical dimension.
• Apply cultural and conceptual approaches to history.
• Think historically and reflect critically on the present and the future, in the areas of politics, society, and culture.

3. General competence

Upon completion of the course the students shall be able to (independently and in cooperation with others):

• Analyze and discuss educational, political, social, and cultural aspects relevant to the formation of policies, social structures, cultural principles and values, individual and collective identity.
• Communicate reflections on historical consciousness in and outside school.

Historical consciousness is usually presented as the awareness of the relationship between past, present, and future. But it is more than that. The course is an introduction to various components of historical consciousness, related to: (1) the awareness of the human being as a historical creature; (2) the limits of historical knowledge; (3) the relationship between history and memory; (4) the ways in which geography and the environment influences who we are; (5) the ways biological and cultural evolution have formed societies and cultures; (6) the use of history in the formation and maintenance of identities; (7) the role played by the stories (the narratives) we make about the past in our understanding of history and the human being; (8) the relationship between public narratives and historiographic narratives; (9) the importance of being aware of which words and concepts we use in speaking and writing about the past; (10) the existence of various historical dimensions of time, which influence our decisions in any given present.

The students will be introduced to historical consciousness, historical thinking and historical culture, subjects that have become central in the teaching of History in primary and secondary schools, as well as at university level. Each module will be based on the study of concrete cases from various periods and places, which are of central importance in contemporary political, social and cultural issues.

Individualized examination: The students will be offered two options of examination of equal weight, one written and the other oral. Each student will be allowed to choose the option that suits her/him best.

Alternative 1: One four-hour individual written examination, in which students are allowed to use hard copies of the readings (pensum) of the course.

Alternative 2: Oral examination: A twenty-minutes session, when the student answers questions on various parts of the syllabus.

Please refer to Canvas for more information.

Graded assessment (A-F) according to ECTS grading scale. The students may submit their portfolio and take their oral examination in English or Norwegian.