Public History in Global Perspective: Inquiry, Exchange and Practice

Where should public history sit within the matrix of global, international, (trans-)national, and more local histories? Since its emergence in the 1970s, Public History has typically been read as community-oriented and more local in its applications. The academic field in particular has developed along national lines, and indeed, we see in the many monographs, edited books, and journals that have emerged a distinct tendency to consider public history as understandable mostly in its relation to the nation state and its attendant mythologies. The meta-narratives that public history pushes against are the building blocks of ‘national’ histories: political, military, and heroic histories. Conceiving of a global public history seems to have more radical potential than an international public history, which arguably simply collects these national histories. What would a global public history look like and how can it disrupt the field if interpreted radically? This book will centre the work of scholars and professionals in the field of Public History. It will offer novel reflections on postgraduate Public History learning, work experience, and application from recent graduates and partnered institutions. A mix of theory and practice, traditional and creative methodologies, it demonstrates the value of integrating work experience, practitioner workshops and close collaboration in Public History training.

Georgina Laragy, Ciaran O’Neill, Trin. Col. Dublin; Richard Legay, A.-Bergstraesser-Inst., Freiburg; Hannah K. Smyth, Univ. Col. London.