Learning from the Past: A Guide for the Curious Researcher
Discover sources that help you understand the past, and explain the present!
The language of history determines how we view our world and understand urgent issues, such as the environment, conflict and human rights. This language is shaped by documents held in libraries and archives, and the ways in which researchers interpret these is constantly developing. This course will provide you with skills to discover and critically analyse the records of the past, including hidden treasures from the British Library’s collections. Researchers at the University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham will show how these collections influence the way we view our world today.
What topics will you cover?
Week 1 - Language and History
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Why does the past matter today?
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History as language – and how to crack the code….
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Reading critically
Week 2 - Images and Artefacts
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Photographs: A Window on the Past?
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Maps and Historical Images as Sources
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Finding Sources in Library Catalogues and Archives
Week 3 - Thinking Outside the Box…
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The impact of the present on understanding the past
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Sound Collections and Oral History
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Digital Sources & the Archived Web
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Plan your own research project