Historical Consciousness

Historical Consciousness falls under the Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation Capacity.

Whether deciding which business strategy to adopt for the next quarter, which candidate to favor in the next election, or how to lead our personal lives, we all interpret the evidence of the past and craft historical narratives.

In crafting historical narratives, we select significant events from a broad universe of evidence, make arguments about cause and effect, and recognize how previous decisions and their consequences shape the options before us. History asks us to think not just across time, but also across disciplines and across geographic spaces. History creates a sense of connection, rootedness—participation in an ongoing conversation among and between generations. Above all else, historical consciousness gives us the power to imagine worlds different from our own, to evaluate them, and thus to imagine how to live differently and better.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will create historical narratives, evaluate interpretations based on historical evidence, and construct historical arguments.
  2. Students will demonstrate an ability to interpret primary source material (textual, visual, or aural) using a range of interpretive skills and situating the material in its historical and cultural context.
  3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of religious traditions, intellectual paradigms, forms of political organization, or socioeconomic forces, and how these have changed over time.

Courses

Search for currently scheduled courses with combinations of other Hub requirements in MyBU Student.