Spotting the Differences: Understanding Historical Approaches Fall 2012

1. Spotting the Differences: Understanding Historical ApproachesFall 2012

2. What is a Historical Approach? • An organizing framework that shapes the questions you ask, the sources you read, and the “glasses” you use to interpret that material

3. What is a Historical Approach? • An organizing framework that shapes the questions you ask, the sources you read, and the “glasses” you use to interpret that material • A set of principles or assumptions you use to analyze a body of evidence

4. What is a Historical Approach? • An organizing framework that shapes the questions you ask, the sources you read, and the “glasses” you use to interpret that material • A set of principles or assumptions you use to analyze a body of evidence • A widely-embraced pattern of thought

5. What is a Historical Approach? • An organizing framework that shapes the questions you ask, the sources you read, and the “glasses” you use to interpret that material • A set of principles or assumptions you use to analyze a body of evidence • A widely-embraced pattern of thought • The way that you (the viewer) make sense of your subject (the viewed)  (a postmodern definition)

6. Example: Gender History • This includes the study of how men and women define their roles in society and how they construct gender roles

7. Example: Gender History • This includes the study of how men and women define their roles in society and how they construct gender roles • Questions often revolve around definitions of masculinity and femininity

8. Example: Gender History • This includes the study of how men and women define their roles in society and how they construct gender roles • Questions often revolve around definitions of masculinity and femininity • Usually relies on a “bottom up” perspective

9. Example: Gender History • This includes the study of how men and women define their roles in society and how they construct gender roles • Questions often revolve around definitions of masculinity and femininity • Usually relies on a “bottom up” perspective • Gender is “a socially constructed series of behaviors that code one as male or female, but that vary across time and space in such a way as to reveal their constructed nature” (Downs, Writing Gender History, 3)

10. Why Do These Approaches Matter? Many different approaches, when considered together, bring us closer to the “truth”  Creates DIVERSITY

11. Why Do These Approaches Matter? Many different approaches, when considered together, bring us closer to the “truth”  Creates DIVERSITY Help shape the questions you believe the documents can answer

12. Why Do These Approaches Matter? Many different approaches, when considered together, bring us closer to the “truth”  Creates DIVERSITY Help shape the questions you believe the documents can answer Help you make sense of a myriad of documents

13. Why Do These Approaches Matter? Many different approaches, when considered together, bring us closer to the “truth”  Creates DIVERSITY Help shape the questions you believe the documents can answer Help you make sense of a myriad of documents Help historians understand where other historians are coming from and, consequently, the strengths and limitations of the analysis

14. Challenges of Interpretation • The “ready-made analysis” trap

15. Challenges of Interpretation • The “ready-made analysis” trap • The “stubborn and narrow minded” trap

16. Challenges of Interpretation • The “ready-made analysis” trap • The “stubborn and narrow minded” trap • The “boring” trap

17. Challenges of Interpretation • The “ready-made analysis” trap • The “stubborn and narrow minded” trap • The “boring” trap • The “right think” trap

18. Challenges of Interpretation • The “ready-made analysis” trap • The “stubborn and narrow minded” trap • The “boring” trap • The “right think” trap • The “tunnel vision” trap