History, the Public, and the Market National Taiwan University
Course Overview
A significant portion of this course will be conducted in English including lectures, discussions, readings, presentations, and written work. What is the utility of historical knowledge and the practice of history in the twenty-first century? The humanities, including history, have faced questions about their relevance, practicality, and utility in the past few years. These concerns become even more immediate as economies undergo economic changes including de-industrialization, income stagnation, and youth underemployment. And yet as new economies emerge based on knowledge, technology, and services, the humanities and history have roles to play. Technology platforms including traditional media, social media, and entertainment need content. Even more, an interdisciplinary background in the humanities trains students in vital contemporary skills including information literacy; critical analysis; creativity; textual, oral, and visual presentation; collaboration, and leadership. In a fast-paced economy characterized by constant change and disruption, these skills prepare students for future jobs that have yet to be invented. History has a particular advantage. Everyone has a past and everyone comes from a past, so that most individuals have an intuitive understanding of the importance of the past. Likewise, history is all around us: in our physical surroundings, the consumer products that shape our daily lives, the entertainment we enjoy, the fashion we put on, the tastes we cultivate ultimately the lives and livestyles we lead all have pasts. History has immediate relevance. The challenge, then, is to understand how historical knowledge is useful, find a way to practice history that connects to a public, and articulate the value of this practice to a market. Through course readings on history, historical theory, and concept, students think about the ways and values of historical practice. Another set of readings will introduce students to basic concepts in business and business skills such as competitive strategy, leadership, networking, collaboration, etc. Students will practice both historical and business skills through exercises in self-presentation, informational interviews, market research, site visits, etc. Throughout this course, students are encouraged to be creative, expressive, and think outside of the box about history, historical partice, and their uses for the public and in the market. “If you have no doubt of your premises or your power and want a certain result with all your heart you naturally express your wishes in law and sweep away all opposition ... But when men have realized that time has upset many fighting faiths, they may come to believe even more ... that the ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas _ that the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market.” --- Oliver Wendell Holmes (United States Supreme Court Justice), Abrams v. U.S. (250 U.S. 616, 1919), no 316.
Learning Achievement
Historical practice
•Understand the difference between history and historical practice
•Identify uses of historical practice to connect with the public
•Identify the value of historical practice in the market Professionalization and business
•Learn about basic concepts in business •Learn and practice basic professionalization skills
•Undertake a team project creating a historical product
Competence
Course prerequisites
This course consists of a number of elements
•Readings and films that address issues of history, the public, and the market
•Readings that introduce students to basic concepts in business
•Discussion and analysis of course materials
•Professionalization exercises including producing CVs/résumés, LinkedIn sites, networking and informational interviews •Independent research, site-visits, and presentations on historical sites, museums, and other projects
•Team-based semester project producing a “historical project” such as a historical site, museum, or other
Grading Philosophy
Course schedule
Course type
Online Course Requirement
Instructor
YUEN-GEN LIANG
