History Dialogues Project

Description ― 

This course – which forms part of Princeton University’s Global History Lab – seeks to expand the range of voices that research and write history. While most history courses expect students to learn pre-existing historical narratives, the History Dialogue Project (HDP) aims to equip them with the tools and support them to develop their research questions, then carry out their own historical research projects and finally share the narratives they create with the wider world. Student-researchers are trained principally in oral history in an effort to enable new voices to become narrators of history and expand conceptions of what history is and who its authors are. To lend some coherence to the diverse set of questions and projects that emerge from the HDP, students are expected to connect their research questions to the overarching theme of “Border-crossing and (im)mobilities”. This shared research theme provides common ground for exchanges, collaborations, and constructive feedback among learners from a network of partner institutions from all over the world working in very different local contexts. By the end of the program, students will have designed and implemented their own research project from start to finish. They will eventually have the opportunity to share their work on the HDP website (globalhistorydialogues.org) in a format of their choice (research paper, blog post, podcast…) and in an oral presentation at the culminating conference in September, before an audience of peers, course staff, and interested members of the public.

Course format: This course is divided into two phases. The first (February to mid-May) is devoted to a lecture-based course on oral history and research methods. Students will be expected to enroll in Princeton University’s online platform, view lectures, read the required readings and complete short assignments. Students will also hold weekly meetings with the designated instructor during the same period. The second phase (late April to early July) is an independent research seminar: students will carry out fieldwork and research in order to prepare their projects.