Unpacking A Historian’s Toolkit – Examining The Nature & Purpose Of History, The Process of Historical Enquiry & The Critical Evaluation of Sources With Dr Joy Hawkins From University of East Anglia

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This session will provide insights into how historians approach their work, the process of historical enquiry, and the ways that the past can be interpreted through critical evaluation of the sources. By exploring translated versions of medieval sources, students can share in the excitement of uncovering the past and develop their curiosity and comparative analysis skills.

Through a close examination of a case study – what did it mean to be clean and healthy in the Middle Ages? – students will discover the sources and skills which can be found in a historian’s toolkit. By looking at an example of microhistory, we’ll think about the purpose and nature of history more widely, and consider how far broader conclusions about the past can be drawn from selected sources. We’ll also explore questions such as: what source material is available to uncover the past? What do historians do when there are few sources available? And, is it okay to make comparisons between how our ancestors thought about wellbeing and our attitudes today?

Lecturer Profile: Dr Joy Hawkins

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. There is no charge to take part.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Key Stage 5 students (and equivalent) studying, or with a possible interest in studying, History and related disciplines. Student groups as well as students and teachers joining individually are very welcome.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic in advance and questions they have. Students can also think about questions about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the speaker via typed comments and questions and/or via a microphone. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here