CHUM305 - Contesting the Past: Historical Memory and the Struggle over Truth and Representation

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Academic Year 2004/2005

Contesting the Past: Historical Memory and the Struggle over Truth and Representation
CHUM 305 FA

Crosslistings:
HIST 358
AMST 301

This upper-level seminar explores the representation of the American past in public monuments, visual images, films, museums, theme parks, and commemorative memorialization practices. We will explore why representations of the past matter, and will particularly think about the kinds of political work representations of the past do in the present. The course will examine the significance of particular representations of the past, the ways in which historical memory influences the construction of identities (both individual and national), and battles that have taken place around the ways in which history is presented and remembered. The class will particularly focus on how historical "truth" is constructed in particular representations of the past and how memorialization is itself a process, and often a contested one. Students will be asked to analyze a wide variety of historical representations, including films, statues, photographs, public memorials, and museums. Students will both give group presentations on particular historical sites and be expected to undertake an individual research project on an issue related to historical memory.

MAJOR READINGS

Possible course readings include:

David Blight, RACE AND REUNION: THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICAN MEMORY
Tim Cole, SELLING THE HOLOCAUST: FROM AUSCHWITZ TO SCHINDLER; HOW HISTORY IS BOUGHT, PACKAGED AND SOLD
Kenneth Foote, SHADOWED GROUND: AMERICA'S LANDSCAPE OF VIOLENCE AND TRAGEDY
David Glassberg, SENSE OF HISTORY: THE PLACE OF THE PAST IN AMERICAN LIFE
Richard Handler and Eric Gable, THE NEW HISTORY IN AN OLD MUSEUM: CREATING THE PAST AT COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
Sanford Levinson, W RITTEN IN STONE: PUBLIC MONUMENTS IN CHANGING SOCIETIES
Edward Linenthal, THE UNFINISHED BOMBING: OKLAHOMA CITY IN AMERICAN MEMORY
Joseph Rhea, RACE PRIDE AND AMERICAN IDENTITY
Roy Rosenzweig and David Thelen, THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST: POPULAR US ES OF HISTORY IN AMERICAN LIFE
Kirk Savage, STANDING SOLDIERS, KNEELING SLAVES: RACE, WAR, AND MONUMENT IN NINETEENTH CENTURY AMERICA

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Weekly response papers, group presentation, major research paper (15-20 pages)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

There may be one or two mandatory class field trips outside of the regular class time.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS HIST Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Romano,Renee Christine

Times: .M..... 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK115;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 15)

SR. major: 0 Jr. major: 0

SR. non-major: 8 Jr. non-major: 7 SO: 0 FR: 0

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Reading Non-Verbal Texts, Writing

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-21-2005