100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
Previously searched by you
First Class Russell Group University Essay 'To what extent is the study of the past driven by intellectual developments in academic disciplines beyond history?'$6.51
Add to cart
First Class Russell Group University Essay 'To what extent is the study of the past driven by intellectual developments in academic disciplines beyond history?'
27 views 0 purchase
Course
HIST23101 Rethinking History
Institution
University Of Bristol (UOB)
First Class essay answering 'To what extent is the study of the past driven by intellectual developments in academic
disciplines beyond history?'. Written using lectures, seminar discussion, set readings, and reading beyond the reading list. Includes footnotes throughout and a bibliography at the ...
To what extent is the study of the past driven by intellectual developments in academic
disciplines beyond history?
From 1949 to 2008, the number of teachers of history in British higher education has increased
from 548 to 2,961.1 Consequently, intersections between academic disciplines became more
prominent as the scope of historical inquiry was enlarged. This is evident when looking at
publication records, for example, the number of articles in relation to medical history have
grown from two in 1917 to 5,453 in 2017.2 It is the aim of this essay to investigate this
increasingly topical relationship between history and other disciplines by considering case
studies in the fields of environmental, medical, cultural and social history. This essay will argue
that, to an extent, the study of the past has been, and continues to be, driven by intellectual
developments beyond history. However, only focusing on the input from other disciplines
undermines the significance of developments originating from within the field of history itself.
Furthermore, as the relationship between academic disciplines becomes more dynamic, this
calls into question the value of retaining this distinction. It will argue this by considering the
following three areas of development within history. Firstly, the application of science and
information technology to sources of historical significance. Secondly, the methods and
theories employed to better understand primary sources. Lastly, areas of interdisciplinary
cooperation between academic disciplines and the necessity of a transdisciplinary approach.
Considering these three areas is intended to provide a basis, or even a point of contrast, for
considering and developing ways to drive the study of the past into the future.
1
‘Teachers of History Numbers’ https://www.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/resources/statistics/teachers.html
[accessed 17 December 2018]
2
‘Web of Science’
http://apps.webofknowledge.com/RAMore.do?product=WOS&search_mode=GeneralSearch&SID=F3B97urkU
6aQjOnHwc5&qid=7&ra_mode=more&ra_name=PublicationYear&colName=WOS&viewType=raMore
[accessed 20 December 2018]
1
, Technological Advances
Intellectual advances in science and information
technology have been successfully applied to
drive the study of the past. For example, in
October 2018 the contents of this sixteenth-
Figure. 1 ‘Cardiff University's new
century scroll (see Figure. 1) were revealed by x-ray method reveals ancient scroll’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
combining a 3D x-ray scan with computer wales-45734251
algorithms. The contents of this document may be of particular value to social historians as it
details information about local communities, including disturbances of the peace, names of
jurors and land transactions.3 However, the implications of this technology transcend any
singular historical field- it has the potential to be applied throughout history to many different
types of sources. Thus, technology has the possibility to deepen and drive our understanding of
the past in unprecedented ways by overcoming the often-fragile materiality of historical
sources.
The evidence generated by technology has been applied to historical debates. Analysis of the
DNA of fish bones has provided compelling evidence in support of the medieval sea fishing
revolution theory, which proposes an environmental shift in consumption from freshwater to
marine fish.4 Whilst these scientific findings bolster the validity of the theory, it simultaneously
found that the shift was not as universally rapid as previously believed. On the one hand, this
could have hindered the study of the past as to an extent it undermines the prevailing theory
within this area of history. However, in this case, the scientific findings do not invalidate the
3
Cardiff University, “Scientists 'virtually unravel' burnt 16th century scroll” https://phys.org/news/2018-10-
scientists-virtually-unravel-burnt-16th.html [accessed 11 December 2018]
4
F. Worley., Animal Bones and Archaeology: Guidelines for best practice (London: English Heritage, 2014)
pp.51.
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller nataliejcarroll. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.51. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
