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Curricular information is subject to change
Among the learning outcomes of his module are:
• a complex sense of what ‘history’ is
• knowledge of the different alternatives to the notion that history is ‘about the past’
• knowledge of the different alternatives to the notion that history is ‘objective’
• a perspective on how we should ‘deal with the past’ (i.e. morally)
• an independent perspective on whether history is even possible
This module explores the various ways in which the conventional idea of history is wrong. It will work with students on these ideas (among others):
• there is no such thing as ‘objectivity’ in history;
• the ‘past’ is ‘our’ account of it, and therefore history is tied to the present: to the work of the historian;
• history constructs simple stories to capture events that are too complex to be explained in any story;
• nothing in history (compared with nature) happens according to any law: hence the difficulty of saying that one thing ‘caused’ another in history;
• the past is past, and cannot be understood.
And yet the past – and indeed present – is filled with countless real cases of abominable human suffering, of innocent victims, and of horrific crimes. How do we do justice to those victims if we are sceptical about historical objectivity? This module will work towards an answer to that question too.
| Student Effort Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 |
| Tutorial | 7 |
| Autonomous Student Learning | 98 |
| Total | 125 |
No prior learning requirements.
This module will be most suitable for students who major subject is in Arts and Humanities or Social Science.
| Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participation in Learning Activities: Attendance & participation in lectures & tutorials is a graded MUST PASS module component. Attendance & participation at 80% of lectures & tutorials=A+ 70%=B+ 60%=C+ 50%=D+ fewer than 50%=FAIL |
Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 | Graded | Yes | 20 |
Yes |
| Assignment(Including Essay): A 2,000 word essay dealing with material covered in the first half of the module. | Week 7 | Graded | Yes | 30 |
Yes |
| Exam (In-person): Examination held at a UCD examination centre after the end of the teaching trimester. Details of the date and venue are supplied to students by the UCD Examinations Office. | End of trimester Duration: 2 hr(s) |
Graded | Yes | 50 |
Yes |
| Resit In | Terminal Exam |
|---|---|
| Autumn | No |
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
Each essay will be returned with comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the work, with an explantion of the grade awarded.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Ms Clémence Saintemarie | Tutor |