79-760 Public and Applied History
12 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Where is history In museums, books, statues, academic articles, documentary films, the memories of the living, and the secrets of the dead. History touches everything and everyone, yet only a small number of people make a living by teaching history and an even smaller number are paid to discover new knowledge about the past. Public history is often defined as the practice of communicating to the general public the discoveries of professional historians. In this course, we will see public history more broadly, not just as communication but also as a creative practice that is itself an act of discovery. We will study examples of public and applied history, but most of the course will be focused on studentdesigned projects. How can we connect our historical research to the broader world in ways that go beyond writing books and articles Projects might include traditional forms of public history such as museum exhibits, but could also include digital projects and historical collaborations with community organizations, NGOs, businesses, schools, unions, or government agencies.
Prerequisites: none listed
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