Practice
Historical thinking involves a lot of reflection as a reader. The most important skills and practices when reading texts closely are the ones that abet reflection. Specifically, asking questions while reading and taking the time to summarize the readings are two ways of engaging with materials that aid historical thinking. Furthermore, these two practices honor both experience and analysis — being present and looking back — in service of seeing the whole and building understanding, a foundation for historical creation and expression. Asking questions and synthesizing understanding is itself historical praxis: critically dismantling while looking forward. As to a relation between this praxis and the “Five C’s,” I will focus on Context and Contingency.
As the “Five C’s” article states, history is about storytelling. As such, when we interact with historical materials, we are members of an audience. Like with any good story in whatever medium, being an engaged audience member happens within a dynamic of tension and release, beginnings and false endings, question and answer. When asking questions while reading, we are involving ourselves with the narrative, the material, and being actors with these rather than mere passive observers. We are invested in stories because we relate. Asking questions is the act of being in relation to the story. We see ourselves and the subject in context with history. Sometimes, seeing ourselves in relation to the history is a way to see our place in the current, as with apprehending contradictions in the dominant narrative of North American history juxtaposed with the oral histories of Indigenous people.
When we summarize, or reflect, on our experience with the materials (or in general, as historical beings), we demonstrate to ourselves the degree of our understanding. The nature of this understanding forms the basis of action, of interacting with our world and the Next. Synthesizing our experience (reading, consumption of media, events in our recent past, etc.) poses and responds to the questions “so what?” and “now what?” The response helps us to see the interconnectedness of points in time — the utterly contingent nature of history.
Of course, this reflection cannot only happen subjectively, but must happen socially as well. Reflection begs to be recognized. Therefore, I look forward to engaging in discussion to place my understanding in relation to other understandings among my fellow learners. Conversation and discussion via community storytelling is the ultimate praxis: we build consciousness together.
My primary challenge in this class and all online classes is the lack of face-to-face community learning. I find Hypothes.is to be a great tool to encourage discussion and as I become more accustomed to using it, I’m sure it will facilitate intersubjective reflection more and more.
