HSY2060

The uses of the past

(ART)

Graeme Davison and others

8 points + 2 lectures and 1 tutorial per week + First semester + Clayton

Synopsis: History and nation-building; the cult of national heroes and national monuments; the concept of heritage as exemplified in historical preservation and museums; the uses of the past in enhancing personal and group identity as illustrated by family history and genealogy; and the role of history in the efforts of oppressed or marginal groups to throw off the burden of the past. Case studies will include the Shrine of Remembrance, the historiography of South Africa and Nationalist India, the Mabo judgment, the issue of German war-guilt, and the Demidenko affair.

Assessment: Fieldwork exercise (1000 words): 30% + Reflective essay (3000 words): 40% + Classroom test (1 hour): 10% + Literature review (1000 words): 20%