Description

In recent decades, there has been a clear democratizing tendency in dealing with the past. More people outside academia are participating in ‘doing history’ and within the academy there is more attention to, and concern for, the roles and uses of history in society. Various history professionals are pursuing the ideal of a ‘dialogue across difference’ (Warren-Findley). Consequently, inclusivity, polyphony, participation, co-production, social justice and societal impact have become important concepts and practices in ‘doing history’. All of this almost automatically requires a continuous rethinking of the relationships between the different groups that deal with history and the role and the epistemological and ethical principles of the historian as the traditional ‘expert’. Moreover, this ‘historiocopia’ (Jerome de Groot) asks for innovative ways to analyse and reflect on the opportunities and challenges that these various forms, formats and producers of doing and presenting history generate. In this research group, we will explore the relation between historians and various publics in making history, the principles and practices of shared authority, and how this impacts the production of history.

This research group aims to bring together researchers inside and outside the History department who are interested in the wide range of cultural practices connected to ‘doing history’ with publics. In this context, the research group will encourage public historians outside academia (involved in such fields as museums, heritage, family history, education and the media) to collaborate as affiliate members.

Activities

The research group revolves around three types of activities with the following goals:

1. Monthly discussion meetings
The research group organises monthly reading and discussion meetings that focus on core publications on shared history making and related disciplines, and on discussing research funding applications and ongoing projects. These regular exchanges will establish a fruitful environment for initiating and developing research collaborations between the research groups’ individual members. One of the main aims of these sessions is to develop a shared frame of reference and to reflect critically on making history with publics in past, present and future.

2. Developing international collaborations
The group aims to further build upon developing relationships with international colleagues at universities in, for instance, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Scandinavia, and outside of Europe. Hybrid public events can be employed for this purpose. It will furthermore actively connect to the International Federation for Public History.

3. Integration of education and research through joint events and projects
The group employs collective knowledge by integrating educational projects (see above) more structurally into research and vice versa, and by organising events and/or public lectures and field trips (3 yearly) around practical projects, as well as the practices of public historians outside academia and their theoretical implications.

Planned activities:

• Reading and discussions seminars (monthly)
• Public events/lectures (3 yearly) for a general audience
• Integrating research and education (BA Geschiedenis in Publieke Debatten; MA Public History)
• Further developing contacts with international colleagues who practice history with publics
• Exploring new possibilities for joint publications and grant applications

Members

Laura van Hasselt (coordinator)                                             
Suze Zijlstra (coordinator)
Paul Knevel (coordinator)
Jouke Turpijn
Peter van Dam
Lisa Haushofer
Arjan Nobel
Manon Parry
Krijn Thijs