Applied Public History: Places, People, Stories from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Your Place

In this first week, we’ll meet the course presenters, and explore place and history with help from Historic England, Layers of London and others. How do we get a sense of the history and heritage of a place, and how can we involve our communities in understanding the historic environment? We’ll look at the professional practice of describing historic places and buildings, as well as what maps can reveal about place and history – with special access to historic maps in the Institute of Historical Research archive, and reflections on 'deep mapping' in the crowdsourced Layers of London project. There's also a chance for you to introduce yourself: the first step in forming our virtual community and sharing our varied experiences and expertise.

Discovering Stories

This week, we'll explore some fantastic case-study projects, to discover fascinating stories from history, and approaches to recovering and sharing the past. With the help of Youth Club Archive, we'll reflect on different approaches to collecting and telling stories, with varied audiences in mind. Through the Victoria County History 'Red Boxes' project, we'll look at how stories can be told through objects. And we'll look at how a project gathering the oral histories of Syrian refugees brings together different participants and communities.

Public History and Creative Practice

Where does applied public history meet creative practice? This week, we'll learn from a range of projects to explore what art, and artistic collaborations, can bring to interpretation of the past, to examine historical re-enactment and costumed interpretation, and to look at how a creative approach to mapping might draw a place and its history in imaginative, thought-provoking and engaging ways. There's also an opportunity to try your own creative skills by joining in a creative masterclass! Whether you're naturally an artistic type or not, this week is an opportunity to consider creative approaches for your own applied public history work and projects, and to reflect on what these methods facilitate.

History and the Present

Anniversaries, statues, blue plaques and monuments - history is all around us in the present, in our places and in our public debates. This week, we'll examine how history is commemorated today, with attention to lines of exclusion and absences. We'll look at strategies for mobilising history to make positive interventions in present-day society, with perspectives from the #RememberHer project on female memorials in London, the Haringey Peace Forum (working on World War 1 conscientious objectors), and History Workshop Online, with their activist approach to 'history of the present'.

Research Together

How do you transform an 'audience' into active researchers? What can engaged, participatory research and co-production add to our understanding of the past and its significance in the present? This week we'll talk to Layers of London, the Victoria County History in Leicestershire, and the Runnymede Trust's 'Our Migration Story' project team, to explore new approaches to uncovering history, from community archive work to crowdsourcing.

Communication and Evaluation

Applied Public History is all about communication. This week, we'll return to the core thread of communication which has run across the course, consolidating our skills with attention to some new case studies, and returning to others. We'll also step back and think about evaluation and how to identify opportunities for future development - including a chance for you to reflect on your own participation in this course. We'll hear from projects including 'Being Human' - a National Festival of the Humanities, Layers of London, #RememberHer, and more.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops skills and knowledge necessary for engaging diverse communities through the practice of public history

Teaches methods for understanding and interpreting the past in the present, enabling learners to share histories in impactful ways

Provides a comprehensive overview of applied public history, covering various approaches to researching, sharing, and interpreting history

Taught by experts at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, known for their contributions to history

Utilizes a variety of materials and activities, including case studies, quizzes, creative exercises, and masterclasses, to foster engagement

Reviews summary

Public history: projects & practices

learners say Applied Public History: Places, People, Stories is an engaging, well-devised course that inspires them to apply creativity to public history projects. They particularly note the practical approach, diverse examples of projects, and helpful quizzes for reinforcing lessons learned. While some students express desire for more examples outside of London, they overwhelmingly recommend this course for anyone interested in public history.

Course is accessible for beginners and provides confidence to participate in public history projects.

"It gives an excellent introduction to and overview to the subject of Applied Public History."

"It is very accessible and will give even beginners the confidence to devise or take part in public history projects."

Course provides numerous examples of different public history projects.

"Very interesting perspectives. I would have liked more that related to small scale rural projects that could be undertaken with limited human and economic resources. "

"This has been a very enjoyable course with lots of examples of different projects involving lots of different communities."

"It is a good introduction to Public History, not from theory and debates but from actual practices and experiences."

Course inspires creativity and practical application of public history.

"It helps in thinking creatively and about considering who is missing from your audience."

"Boosts creativity even in such academic discipline as history."

"Gives me a new pair of eyes with which to view my surroundings..."

Course could benefit from more examples outside of London.

"I do wish that this project had been a little more inclusive of doing public history in places other than London and the UK."

"The course could benefit from other experiences outside of London to, at least, give a glimpse of how does Public History work in other contexts."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Applied Public History: Places, People, Stories with these activities:

Local History in the Digital Age

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Explore how digital technologies are transforming the field of local history, providing new tools for research, storytelling, and community engagement.

View Clio Wired on Amazon

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Read the book and take notes on key concepts and case studies.
Identify how the ideas presented in the book could be applied to your own local history projects.
Share your insights with other course participants in a discussion forum.

Explore the National Archives' online resources for local history research

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Familiarizing yourself with the National Archives' online resources can greatly enhance your ability to find and access primary sources for your historical research.

Browse courses on Historical Research

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Visit the National Archives website
Use the search tools and browse the collections
Identify and download relevant documents for your research

Write historical abstracts for historical research articles

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Practicing writing historical abstracts helps improve your ability to synthesize and communicate historical research findings in a concise and engaging manner.

Browse courses on Historical Research

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Review examples of effective historical abstracts
Identify the key arguments and findings of a historical research article
Draft and revise an abstract that captures the essence of the article

Five other activities

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Show all eight activities

Read 'History in the Public Sphere' by John Bodnar

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Read 'History in the Public Sphere' provides a grounding in the theoretical foundations of public history and its role in shaping historical narratives and public discourse.

View Soccer's Neoliberal Pitch: The Sport's Power,... on Amazon

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Read and take notes on the book's key chapters
Summarize the main arguments and perspectives presented in the book

Develop a historical walking tour of a neighborhood or town

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Creating a historical walking tour is a practical and impactful way to engage the public with local history and showcase your understanding of historical research and communication.

Browse courses on Public History

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Select a neighborhood or town with a rich history
Research and identify historical landmarks, events, and figures
Design a walking route and prepare a script for the tour

Design a digital history exhibit on a local historical event or figure

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Creating a digital history exhibit allows you to apply the principles of public history in a practical and engaging way, showcasing your understanding of historical research and storytelling.

Browse courses on Historical Interpretation

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Research and select a local event or figure to focus on
Gather primary and secondary sources to support your narrative
Design and develop the digital exhibit, using a platform like Omeka or WordPress

Learn how to conduct oral history interviews

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Learning how to conduct oral history interviews will help you gather valuable insights from people who have experienced history firsthand.

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Find a tutorial on oral history interviewing
Watch the tutorial and take notes
Practice interviewing a friend or family member

Contribute to the Wikipedia page on a historical topic or figure

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Contributing to Wikipedia allows you to share your knowledge, improve historical content, and engage with a wider audience interested in history.

Browse courses on Historical Research

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Identify a Wikipedia page that needs improvement
Research and gather reliable sources to support your additions
Edit the Wikipedia page, following their guidelines and referencing your sources

Career center

Learners who complete Applied Public History: Places, People, Stories will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Historian

Historians research, analyze, interpret, and write about the past. They use a variety of sources to learn about the past, including written documents, oral histories, and archaeological evidence. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Historian

Community Organizer

Community Organizers work to improve the lives of people in their communities. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Organizer

Teacher

Teachers help students learn about a variety of subjects, including history. They may work in public schools, private schools, or homeschooling programs. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers oversee the operations of nonprofit organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

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Program Manager

Program Managers oversee the development and implementation of programs for nonprofit organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Fundraising Manager

Fundraising Managers oversee the fundraising efforts of nonprofit organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fundraising Manager

Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists create and manage public relations campaigns for businesses and organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Grant Writer

Grant Writers write grant proposals to secure funding for nonprofit organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer

Journalist

Journalists write, edit, and produce news stories for newspapers, magazines, and websites. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Development Officer

Development Officers work to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Development Officer

Archivist

Archivists are responsible for the acquisition, preservation, and arrangement of documents and other materials having historical or research value. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist

Museum curator

Museum Curators are responsible for planning and managing environmental control over museum collections. They preserve and interpret museum collections for the benefit of the public. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum curator

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and implement marketing campaigns for businesses and organizations. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Event Planner

Event Planners plan and coordinate events, such as conferences, weddings, and parties. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Event Planner

Librarian

Librarians help people find information and resources. They may work in public libraries, school libraries, or academic libraries. This course may be useful to you because it will help you to understand the history of places and people, and how to engage diverse communities with those stories. You will also learn about different approaches to researching and sharing the past.

See salaries and explore the career path for Librarian