Richard Kagan's Website

Richard C.Kagan
Professor of East Asian Studies, Hamline University

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H 3000
Workshop in History
Fall, 2003
Richard C. Kagan - Hamline University LC140S, x2433
Fax: 651/646-0034
e-mail rkagan@hamline.edu
web site: http://web.hamline.edu/personal/rkagan

The section of this course will be more concerned with Public History than with Research materials on Minnesota.

Office Hours: M 10:30-11:30. By Appointment.

This course is divided into four parts:
1) An introduction to theories of history.
a. Text: Breisach.
b. Competence in the theories will be expressed by student oral reports. A short paper on the topic of "My favorite approach, complete with examples," will end this section. Students will read an essay or book review from a professional journal and then apply their own philosophical approach to the study.
2) An Introduction to Public History
a. Text. Jordanova.
b. Students will attend the History Center to understand the nature of public history/interactive historical presentations. Two visits are required: a Sunday, and a Thursday (with lunch).
c. A short paper on the differences between an academic history and a public history presentation.
3) A Brief introduction the The Modern Researcher. Guides to writing, research, etc.
3) A final demonstration of public history.

Schedule: (Subject to change)
9/4 Introduction. How to read a book. Definition of history. Handout. Imperialism
9/9 Library lecture. In Bush Library Room 131.
Oral reports. Students will sign up for the reports. They should be 8 to 10 minutes each. They should provide a summary, an analysis (which incorporates recent research), and an evaluation/application. Students should use outside sources. Students may not read their report. They can use notes. They can ask the class to read a page or two from another source. They can ask questions for the class to discuss. They can use power point or other aids-such as videos, music. They can focus on just one issue. Everyone must read each chapter.
The student reports will begin on the 11th. The first five chapters will be covered by Kagan.
9/11. Kagan chs. 1-5.
9/16. chs. 6-13.
9/18 chs. 14-20
9/23 chs. 21-25
9/25 chs. 26-Epilogue
9/30 First paper is due. This paper should be divided into three parts:
a. A discussion of the history approach or approaches that you prefer.
b. A critique of an article or lengthy book review in terms of your own approach.
c. An analysis of an historical event in your own historical "voice." For instance, if you take a biological or genetic view of history then you could discuss the Runestone of Minnesota in those terms. The Norsemen who allegedly appeared in the area later known as Alexandria were ordered to travel across the ocean with cats. Severe punishment occurred if one did not have cats aboard. There are no Norwegian cats in Minnesota. Thus, the Norwegians did not come to Mn. There is no DNA trace of Northern European cats in Minnesota. (for the full argument see Sylvia Kerr's article in Hamline Review (a faculty publication for 2003).
d. Length of the paper. About 10 pages. Go to the Writing Center. Before writing this, read in The Modern Researcher, chs. 12,13.
10/2. Video.
10/7 Jordanova. Three students will report on each chapter. Ch. 1
10/9 ch.2.
10/14. ch. 3
10/16. Video
10/21 ch. 4.
10/23 Visit History Center. Plan to stay through lunch-that up to noon.
10/26 Visit the History Center.
10/28. ch. 5.
10/30. ch. 6.
11/4. ch. 7 and Postscript.
11/6 A lecture on public history in terms of interactive presentations. Video
11/11. Paper due on Public history. The student needs to discuss the differences between public history and academic history. At this time, the student must outline a topic that will form the public history presentation. An annotated bibliography and a discussion of an interactive presentation is due at this point.
11/13. Barzun. Chs. 1,2,3.
11/18 Barzun chs. 4,5.
11/20 Barzun. Chs. 6-8.
11/25. Barzun chs. 9,10
12/2. Barzun. 11. Beginning of interactive presentations. This can be done individually or in groups.
Final paper: Discuss your presentation in terms of the methodologies of history and public history. When necessary refer to Barzun. Due after you give your presentation.