Area of knowledge - History

Area of knowledge - History

Studying history involves exploration and inquiry into the past. This raises questions about whether it is possible to talk meaningfully about a historical fact, or how far we can speak with certainty about anything in the past.

History provides particularly interesting material for TOK discussions because of the challenges presented by not being able to directly observe the past, and because the historian is unable to utilize some of the methods of inquiry that are used in other areas of knowledge.

Studying history can also promote empathy with, and understanding of, people living in diverse places and at different times. These characteristics open up many interesting issues and questions that are unique, or particularly pertinent, to history as an area of knowledge.

As we cannot directly observe historical events, documentary evidence plays a vital role in helping historians to understand and interpret the past. This raises questions about the reliability of that evidence, particularly given that historical sources are often incomplete and that different sources can corroborate, complement or contradict each other.

In addition to being heavily evidence-based, history is also an interpretive discipline that allows for multiple perspectives and opinions. Students could be encouraged to consider the role and importance of historians, particularly in terms of why their interpretations may differ or how we evaluate conflicting interpretations of past events.

Students could also consider why some might claim that there is always a subjective element in historical writing because historians are influenced by the historical and social environment in which they are writing—which unavoidably affects their selection and interpretation of evidence.

An interesting focus for discussions could be the concept of historical significance. For example, students could consider why particular aspects of history have been recorded and preserved whereas others have been lost or excluded from historical accounts.

Students could also consider the way that history is sometimes used to promote a particular dominant perspective or consider how specific groups, such as minorities or women, may have experienced events in the past differently. This could connect to reflection on recent controversies surrounding the historical events taught, and history textbooks used, in high school history lessons in various countries around the world. This could include how different textbooks can sometimes tell different versions of history.

Examples of knowledge questions arising from this area of knowledge are suggested below.

Examples of knowledge questions

Scope

• Is it possible to have knowledge of the past?

• Is knowledge about the past different from other kinds of knowledge?

• Are all areas of knowledge concerned with knowledge of the past to some extent?

• Why does history enjoy a privileged position as its own dedicated area of knowledge in the TOK curriculum?

• Is all knowledge in some sense historical knowledge?

• Is truth the goal of all historical inquiry?

• Is certainty about the past more difficult to attain than certainty about the present or the future?

• What counts as a fact in history?

Perspectives

• If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally acceptable?

• Are historians’ accounts necessarily subjective?

• Is empathy more important in history than in other areas of knowledge?

• How might the existence of different historical perspectives be beneficial to historical knowledge?

• Can the historian be free of bias in the selection and interpretation of material?

• Is it inevitable that historians will be affected by their own cultural context?

• How can we gauge the extent to which history is being told from a cultural or national perspective?

• Are we more prone to particular cognitive biases (such as hindsight bias) in some disciplines and areas of knowledge rather than others?

Methods and tools

• What methods do historians use to gain knowledge?

• What is unique about the methodology of history compared to other areas of knowledge?

• On what criteria can a historian evaluate the reliability of their sources?

• If our senses are sometimes unreliable, does this mean that eyewitness testimony is an unreliable source of evidence?

• Have technological developments enabled us to observe the past more directly?

• What challenges does archive-based history emphasize about how knowledge is shared and preserved?

• Is there less emphasis on collaborative research in history than there is between researchers in other areas of knowledge?

• How do the methods and conventions of historians themselves change over time?

Ethics

• Is it unfair to judge people and actions in the past by the standards of today?

• Should terms such as “atrocity” or “hero” be used when writing about history, or should value judgments be avoided?

• Do historians have a moral responsibility to try to ensure that history is not misused and distorted by people for their own ends?

• On what criteria could we decide whether people in the past have a right to privacy in the present?

• Do historians have an ethical obligation not to ignore contradictory evidence?

Making connections to the core theme

• Is it possible to know who we are without knowledge of the past? (scope)

• How does the way that we identify with past events, such as military victories or defeats, shape our perspective? (perspectives)

• How might the methods of the historian help us to evaluate claims we are exposed to in the media today? (methods and tools)

• What ethical concerns are raised by the digitization and online publication of archive material containing people’s personal images and documents? (ethics)