From Chyron to the Classroom: Applied History as a Catalyst to Relevancy, Philosphical Thinking, and Reflection

Past opportunities to teach sections of a Fordham course titled “Understanding Historical Change: U.S. History” allowed me to reflect on two main observations I witnessed consistently in the classroom.

First, many students have not considered the philosophical ramifications of historical study.  They may have a sound grasp of chronology and have the skills to analyze primary sources, but they rarely stop and ask larger questions such as: “What’s the point of all this?  What’s the significance of temporality?  What is the nature of history as an abstract concept?  Are there patterns to human behavior?  To what extent is this field subjective?”

These questions can be answered in any number of ways.  The great Greek historian Thucydides opens the door for historians as soothsayers when he states his belief in unchanging human nature: “the events of future history … will be of the same nature—or nearly so—as the history of the past, so long as men are men.” Using this line of reasoning, historians could use their knowledge of how humans have behaved under certain conditions in the past, assess the outcome of those decisions, and apply their findings to contemporary situations. This, in turn, could lead to more predictability in policy decisions and greater efficiency.  

Others are a bit more pessimistic.  Hegel writes: “Each period is involved in such peculiar circumstances, exhibits a condition of things so strictly idiosyncratic, that its conduct must be regulated by considerations connected with itself, and itself alone…”In other words, each time period is too unique and contains too many new variables.  This renders looking to the past for answers a futile exercise.

Rage Against the Machine’s song “Testify” adapts a well known George Orwell 1984 quote: “Who controls the past now, controls the future, who controls the present now controls the past.” Evoking less pessimism and more anger towards the cyclical nature of history, Orwell and Rage point out that historians occupy the power structures that legitimize authority. In this light, Thucydides orginal quote becomes more stifling and ominous.  

When pressed with some of these types of quotes and questions early in the semester, many of my students do not have many answers.  What they do muster in response typically reflects a highly optimistic worldview.  Most believe history offers the chance for humans to not repeat the same mistakes and improve their decisions.  This opinion often contrasts with our textbook which, at times, can feel like a repeating Rage Against the Machine-esque chronicle of war, death, and human suffering. 

For my second observation, I notice many students enjoy the narrative quality of history but desire modern relevancy.  When students come to my office hours, oftentimes they want to talk news headlines.  I’ll listen to their hot takes and try to give them whatever historical context I can muster on the spot.  Other times, I’ll begin class with a current event and give more detailed and thought out background to past events.  Regardless of a student’s personal politics, they get a chance to see the chronological cause and effect that led to the day’s news. 

In order to encourage my students to think more philosophically and help foster their interest in historicizing current issues, I created a final project that utilizes concepts articulated by the Harvard Kennedy School of Applied History.  In their mission statement, they state: “Mainstream historians begin with an event or era and attempt to provide an account of what happened and why. Applied Historians begin with a current choice or predicament and analyze the historical record to provide perspective, stimulate imagination, find clues about what is likely to happen, suggest possible interventions, and assess probable consequences.” I believe engaging in the process of applied history allows students to choose contemporary topics that interest them, provides an entry point for us to discuss various philosophies of history, and gives us the opportunity to reflect on the strengths and limitations of this particular historical method. 

Applied history’s most popular among diplomatic and political historians but is being increasingly utilized by social historians.  This highly contentious emerging field is unabashedly hopeful in its historical outlook and believes humans, if properly equipped with historical knowledge, can hypothetically progress in a linear fashion.  Not all philosophies of history share this outlook.  The methods of the project itself would allow us to compare and contrast how past thinkers such as Hegel, Marx, Nietzche, and Foucault conceived of the possibilities and limitations of history.  Ultimately, I believe if given the chance to reflect on the applied history project, students will begin to synthesize their own philosophical beliefs and formulate an informed opinion on the method’s utility (or lack thereof). 

Visit Harvard’s Applied History Project homepage for a more detailed description of the field of applied history. Much of this project is adapted from their “Assignments” page.