Seminar in Historical Analysis (405-0-24)

Topic

Microhistory

Instructors

Edward Muir
847/491-3653
Harris Hall - Room 244
Ed Muir was one of the pioneers of microhistory, the methods of which were first worked out by his colleagues in Italy. He recently served as the President of the American Historical Association. Prof. Muir is the President-Elect of the American Historical Association, the largest society of professional historians in the world. Ed Muir first travelled to Italy as an undergraduate study aboard student aboard one of the last passenger voyages of the Italian Ship Lines. So transformed by his student sojourn in italy, he became is a specialist in Italian history and has lived there for many years. At Northwestern he has been honored with the Charles Deering McCormick Professorship for Teaching Excellence. He still finds the tragedies and glories of Italian history utterly fascinating.

Meeting Info

Harris Hall room 101: Thurs 9:30AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

In recent years historians have developed a new technique called microhistory for capturing the lives of the people who have been lost to history—peasants, heretics, poor women, gays, and con-conformists of all sorts. These were the people who because of their low social status, rural origins, illiteracy, or unpopular beliefs were ignored, despised, or persecuted by the dominant society. Microhistory is a method of investigation that usually relies on the evidence from judicial trials of otherwise obscure people who found themselves in trouble with the authorities. The method gives a voice to those who otherwise left no written record of their lives. The result of the studies has been a remarkable re-evaluation of the experiences and beliefs of the common people of Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Registration Requirements

Graduate students only.

Learning Objectives

Master the historical techniques necessary for PhD research

Class Notes

History Major Concentration(s): European
History Minor Concentration(s): Europe, United States, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Science and Technology, Law and Crime, Economics and Labor, Environment

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required