Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uol-public-history
Are you passionate about history and eager to explore innovative ways of engaging communities and sharing stories? The ‘Applied Public History: Places, People, Stories’ course on Coursera is a fantastic opportunity to delve into the dynamic field of public history. This comprehensive course offers a well-rounded introduction to understanding and interpreting the past in today’s context, emphasizing community involvement and creative methods.
The course is structured into engaging weekly modules, starting with exploring the significance of place and history through real-world projects and archives like Historic England and Layers of London. Participants learn how maps and historic environments can reveal deep insights into local histories and communities.
Moving further, the curriculum showcases inspiring case studies, including the Youth Club Archive and Victoria County History’s ‘Red Boxes’ project, demonstrating how objects and oral histories can bring history to life for diverse audiences. The creative aspect of public history is also emphasized, with sessions on art, re-enactments, and imaginative mapping, encouraging learners to incorporate creative practices into their own work.
One of the most compelling parts of the course is examining how history is memorialized today—through statues, plaques, and monuments—and how these symbols can reflect societal values and exclusions. The course promotes active participation in research, highlighting participatory projects like Layers of London and ‘Our Migration Story,’ which transform audiences into active co-researchers.
Finally, the course concludes with essential skills in communication and evaluation, preparing learners to effectively share and assess their public history work. The variety of case studies and practical activities makes this course not only informative but also inspiring for both beginners and experienced historians.
I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in history, community engagement, or creative storytelling. It provides valuable tools, inspiring case studies, and a vibrant community for learners to connect, learn, and grow as public history practitioners.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uol-public-history