Dr. Michael Wm. Doyle Office Phone: 765-285-8732
Ball State University Fax: 765-285-5612
Department of History E-mail: mwdoyle@bsu.edu
Burkhardt Bldg. 213 Home Page: www.bsu.edu/web/mwdoyle/hist_240
Muncie, IN 47306-0480 Office Hrs.: Thurs., 2:00-4:00 P.M. & by appt.
HISTORY 240 / Sec. 001: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HISTORY
Spring Semester 2009
READING ASSIGNMENT STUDY QUESTIONS
Week 1: Wed. 14 January
Course Introduction: What is Public History?
Gardner:
Gardner, "Introduction," xiii-xv, Part I, 3
Patricia Mooney-Melvin, "Professional Historians and the Challenge of Redefinition,"
pp. 5-21
1. According to the author, what four basic characteristics are shared by most
public historians?
2. On page 15, the author lists four accomplishments of individuals and
organizations that have strengthened the public history movement in recent years.
Name these accomplishments and describe their effects.
3. What major criticisms do some professionally trained, academic historians level
at their counterparts in the field of public history?
4. Discuss the relationship between public historians and their community and how
it may differ from that which exists between academically based historians and their
target audience.
