History and historiography of the polar regions: People, place, and memory (MHI326)

This course uses the history and historiography of the polar regions to illuminate a number of fundamental issues in the discipline of history. The central aim is to develop the historical competence of students at second cycle level through analysis of topics connected to the polar regions.

Limited number of places.


Course description for study year 2023-2024

Facts

Course code

MHI326

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

15

Semester tution start

Autumn

Number of semesters

1

Language of instruction

English, Norwegian

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Content

Within this course students will develop competence in the political history of the Arctic and the Antarctic, including international relations at the regional and global levels. Students will critically reflect on which actors participate in decision-making in different historical periods, in addition to how certain individuals have come to be prominent in historical narratives. This includes critical reflection on cultures of memory and commemoration in national-building processes, in addition to analysis of how science has functioned as an instrument of political and cultural authority, and the role of animals in human projects of political and environmental control. The overarching aim is to use this diversity of approaches to studying the polar regions as a means of developing more general competence in understanding how scholarly history is produced and used.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The students will gain knowledge of:

  • understand how history is constructed and used in national and international cultures of commemoration and memory
  • be able to critically analyze how the discipline of history differs from hagiography
  • be able to critically evaluate different historical perspectives on the relationship between politics and the natural sciences
  • have an overview of the scholarly state of the art in the history and historiography of the polar regions

Skills:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • deploy their knowledge in the form of outreach and popular science communication in the context of contemporary debates on polar history and international politics
  • use critical perspectives developed from the study of polar history in the production of their own historical narratives
  • explain the relevance of the polar regions for societies and cultures in historical perspective, including Indigenous societies for whom Arctic regions constitute a homeland
  • use analytic methods and theories from other disciplines in the scholarly study of history

General competence:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • have developed critical understanding concerning the use of primary and secondary sources in addition to popular historical narratives
  • communicate scholarly history to non-specialists
  • describe and critically reflect on the use of material culture in the study of history and be able to explain how this can enrich and diversify perspectives on the past.

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Exam

The examination consists of two separate and independent components. All components must be passed and the participation requirement met in order to receive a grade for the course. Each on 1500 words (+/-10%)The first component involves analysis of a given object, text, or other historical source to be assigned by the responsible course teacher. The analysis should consider a) the nature of the source and the disciplinary methods required to understand and use it, b) how it can be deployed within the context of a historical narrative, and c) a critical evaluation of the strengths and limitations of using that source, including reflection on what other historical material would be necessary or desirable in order to satisfactorily use the source.The second component of the exam involves writing a popular scientific article based on scholarly sources within polar history and historiography. The course responsible teacher will assign theme for the exam.

Coursework requirements

In order to take the examinations and be eligible to receive a final grade, students must meet three additional requirements:

  1. Be present at no less than 75% of all teaching hours within the course.
  2. Satisfactorily complete an analysis (1500 words, +/-10%) of a document or text assigned by the course teacher with similar guidelines to those for the examination. This first analysis assignment will precede the examination and students will receive feedback, but not a letter grade.
  3. Satisfactorily complete a popular science article (1500 words, +/-10%) within a theme assigned by the course teacher on a specific topic determined in consultation with the teacher, with similar guidelines to those for the examination. This first article assignment will precede the examination and students will receive feedback, but not a letter grade.

If an assignment is assessed as not approved, the student will be given one further opportunity to submit a revised assignment.

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Peder William Chellew Roberts

Study Adviser:

Signe Ekenberg

Open for

Limited number of places

We have room for maximum 30 students in this course. Those who sign up first get preference. When you sign up on Student Web you will see whether the course has already been filled or not.

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course coordinator, the student representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital course evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto