Swarthmore's history curriculum introduces students to historical methods and the fundamentals of historical thinking, research, and writing. Faculty members expose students to the contested nature of the discipline, cultivating the skills historians employ to understand and interpret the past. Students learn to critically assess the evidence of the past through first-hand exposure to primary sources. They also develop the ability to evaluate the respective arguments of historians. In all courses and seminars, the department strives to involve students in the process of historical discovery and interpretation, emphasizing that all historians are engaged in the constant sifting of old and new evidence.
Each faculty member in the History Department has a regional focus as well as expertise in a particular kind of historical inquiry. Some study social, cultural, and political movements; others examine the impact of religion or explore the rise of capitalism. They all share a commitment to a global and comparative approach to the study of history and a common pedagogical concern for promoting a critical understanding of the past.
Comments