From statues to education, and much in between, how we understand the past shapes many contemporary debates about politics and culture. However, it is not always clear how the traditional practices associated with history as an academic subject (researching and publishing books) relate to these questions.
In this talk, Dr Mark Donnelly will explore the different ways that those interested in studying and interpreting the past might respond to this. He will examine the different kinds of ‘public’ activity that historians have engaged in, and consider how this might help history as a subject remain relevant.
About the speaker
Dr Mark Donnelly is Associate Professor of History at St Mary’s University. His publications include Liberating Histories (Routledge: 2019) and Doing History (Routledge: 2011). He is Course Lead for the BA History and MA Public History.