CfP: Why History Education?

The question about the sense of history education has recently arisen. The mediation of history has to assert itself in the field of tension of power, economy and society. History teaching at schools has come under pressure in many places. On the one hand, it can be seen that, in different places, history teaching is instrumentalized for reinforcing nationalism. On the other hand, history as an independent school subject is, in many places, about to disappear from the curricula. Not least, the strong focusing of many school systems on usefulness raises questions as to what, in fact, the study of history might contribute to the understanding of the present and the functioning of society. This basic uncertainty concerning the aim and sense of history education stands in a contrast to the public sphere where a veritable boom of historical culture can be experienced and the confidence in the orientating function of history for the present and future is small. Most strongly, all these questions emerge in particular when the history of one’s own country is conveyed.

 

In the workshop “Why History Education?”, such crucial questions shall be discussed in international and comparative terms. The goal of the exchange is to assess the current situation, to show perspectives and, possibly, to launch a project which pursues the questions raised in a methodologically conscious and internationally comparative manner. Very welcome are, thus, contributions which give insight into the practice, and/or throw a theoretical glance at this research field, and, perhaps, even present empirical findings. They then provide answers to the following intentionally provocative questions:

– Does a neglect of conveying the history of one’s own country lead to a decline of nationalism, or is quite the contrary the case as the American historian Jill Lepore believes: «Instead, it eats liberalism»?

– Does history education result in reflecting on actions in the present and future or prevent the discussion of the important questions of our present and future?

– Is it helpful and purposeful to distinguish different fields (national history, continental history, world history) when conveying history, or does this lead to a new container-thinking and exclusion-mechanism? What is the relationship between the mediation of history and “heritage education“?

– Shall schools deal with memory and memory cultures, or is it much rather the objective of history education to differentiate critical thinking?

– Why does history need to be taught as a school subject of its own? Would it not make more sense to integrate history into a larger subject group, for example into the social sciences?

– Is history teaching a part of political education or is political education a part of history education?

 

The format of the workshop intends to present inputs of 15-20 minutes and after that to discuss these inputs for an equal amount of time. Within the framework of the workshops the vernissage of the publication “The Teaching of the History of One’s Own Country” takes place as well.

 

Proposals with a title and a brief description (approx. 200 words) which focus on one of the questions raised must be submitted by the 31st of January 2020 at the latest to: Susan Graf Cerny susan.graf@phlu.ch

 

Prof. Dr. Markus Furrer, Prof. Dr. Peter Gautschi, PH Luzern / Switzerland

Prof. Dr. Nadine Fink, HEP Vaud / Switzerland

 

Programm

The colloquium will take place on:

Monday: 4 May 2020

Tuesday: 5 May 2020

 

Pädagogische Hochschule Luzern, Institut für Geschichtsdidaktik und Erinnerungskulturen

Datum: 04.05.2020 – 05.05.2020

Bewerbungsschluss: 31.01.2020

 

https://www.hsozkult.de/event/id/termine-42044

 

 

Odgovori