HI-139 Historical consciousness and applied history (Autumn 2026)

1. Knowledge

Upon completion of the course the students shall have basic knowledge of:

• The meaning of historical consciousness and its components.
• Basic historical theories and concepts related to historical consciousness, such as historical reality, historical evolution, historical thinking, historical temporalities, historical narrative.
• The limits of historical knowledge and the importance of the narrative dimension of historical studies.
• The basic modes of historical evolution.
• The role played by biology, society, and culture in the formation and maintenance of individual and collective identities.
• The ways in which past, present, and future influence our thoughts and acts, individually and collectively.
• The ways in which history has been and still is used to build national, regional and local identities, to achieve political goals, and to shape values and norms.
• The relationship between historical research and historical (scientific) debates on the one hand, and history use in schools, media, memory cultures and popular culture on the other.

2. Skills

Upon completion of the course the students shall:

• Master central historical terms and approaches related to history, historical consciousness, and the use of history.
• Be able to think critically on the relationship between humankind and its historical dimension.
• Be able to think historically and reflect critically on the present and the future, in the areas of politics, society, and culture.
• Have insight into the differences between history as an academic discipline, the use of history, memory, and the construction of historical myths.
• Be able to reflect on how history and memory influence the ways in which we understand ourselves and the world around us.

3. General competence

Upon completion of the course the students shall (independently and in cooperation with others):

• Be able to analyze and discuss educational, political, social, and cultural aspects relevant to the formation of policies, social structures, cultural principles and values, individual and collective identity.
• Be able to communicate reflections on historical knowledge in and outside school.
• Have insight into the role and significance of history used in modern societies and in people’s daily lives.
• Be able to participate in discussions and debates about history in politics, social interaction and public life.

History is everywhere around us. Every day, with no exception, individuals and institutions use history to understand how the world functions, to form our identities, to legitimize policies that shape our lives, to argue for present and future needs and actions, to legitimize atrocities, even to entertain ourselves. Being conscious about how history shapes us and how history is used around us is of crucial importance for being able to understand ourselves and the world.

Historical consciousness is usually presented as the awareness of the relationship between past, present, and future. But it is more than that. The course is an introduction to various components of historical consciousness, related to: (1) the awareness of the human being as a historical creature; (2) the limits of historical knowledge; (3) the relationship between history and memory; (4) the ways biological and cultural evolution have formed societies and individuals; (5) the use of history in the formation and maintenance of identities and policies; (6) the use of stories we make about the past in understanding ourselves and achieving various goals; (7) the existence of various historical dimensions of time, which influence our decisions in any given present.

The students will be introduced to historical consciousness, historical thinking, and the different ways in which history is used, subjects that have become central in the teaching of History in primary and secondary schools, as well as at university level. Each module of the course will be based on the study of concrete cases from various periods and places, which are of central importance in contemporary political, social and cultural discourses.

(a) AI-assisted and game-based learning. (b) Podcast-based flipped classroom. (c) Research question-based in-campus seminars. Six seminars include a subsequent partial exam. (d) Self-study based on the readings of the course and other material that will be uploaded in Canvas. (e) Students are expected to participate in colloquium groups, where they will discuss cases and theoretical approaches presented in the lectures and the seminars.

Further information will be given in Canvas.

The workload is estimated at 270 hours.

Attendance at five partial exams that are conducted digitally on campus.

For students who have achieved 40 or less points after five exams: Attendance at six partial exams that are conducted digitally on campus. Further information is provided in Canvas.

Portfolio assessment consisting of digital partial tests that are conducted after the seminars on campus. Graded assessment (A-F) according to ECTS grading scale.

More information about the portfolio assessment and requirements for the portfolio content will be provided in Canvas at the start of the semester.

No resit/postponed exam will be arranged in this course.