HISS2002 Historical Methods and Approaches (2–10 cr)

Exploration of the theoretical debates and current methodological trends in historical research. Deeper understanding of approach to history and its preliminary application to the student’s research theme. In the taught course, students participate in many discussions and write the first version of the methodological section of forthcoming master’s seminar presentation and master’s thesis together.

Two implementations, for which assessment items / completion methods may vary (working groups, book exams, essays, and combinations thereof). At least half, that is, the second part of the course (5 cr), which is central to the student’s thesis topic, is completed as a taught course.

• Political and intellectual history approaches, 5 cr
• Social and cultural history approaches, 5 cr

After completing the course, the student will:

• be able to apply the key approaches of different areas of history and the qualitative and quantitative methods used in historical research
• thoroughly understand at least two of the key methodological trends in the field of their own thesis and be familiar with alternative methodologies
• be able to apply the theoretical historical debate to their own research topic, research questions and methodologies
• be familiar with national and international research traditions relating to their research topic
• have reflected on ethical issues in historical research
• be aware of the opportunities created by digital historical research
• have the skills to explore a specific field of research in depth in the master’s seminar

Opintojakso suoritetaan 10 op laajuisena. Ainoastaan ne opiskelijat, jotka ovat tehneet vanhojen opetussuunnitelmien opintojaksoja, jotka hyväksiluetaan opintojakson HISS2001 osasuoritukseksi, tekevät vähemmän kuin 10 op. Esimerkiksi opetussuunnitelma 2017-2020 mukaan opiskellut opintojaksot SHIS001, THIS001 ja YHIS001 hyväksiluetaan osaksi tämän jakson suoritusta. Hyväksiluvusta on aina sovittava Historian ja etnologian laitoksen koulutussuunnittelijan kanssa.

For the book exam, works are selected from the following list to make up a total of 5 cr. The essay book choices are agreed in advance with the course coordinator.

In addition to the teaching, literature will be assigned.

Political and intellectual history approaches

Canning, Kathleen, Gender History in Practice: Historical Perspectives on Bodies, Class and Citizenship (2006) (2 op)

Halonen, Mia, Ihalainen, Pasi & Saarinen, Taina (eds.), Language Policies in Finland and Sweden: Interdisciplinary and Multi-sited Comparisons (2014) (2 op)

Middell, Matthias & Lluís Roura i Aulinas (eds), Transnational Challenges to National History Writing (2013) (3 op)

Olsen, Niklas, History in the Plural: An Introduction to the Work of Reinhart Koselleck (2012) (2 op)

Partti, Kenneth, Taking the Language of the Past Seriously: The Linguistic Turns in Finnish and Swedish History Dissertations, 1970–2010 (2020) (1 op) http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-7991-1

Pocock, J.G.A., Political Thought and History: Essays on Theory and Method (2009) (2 op)

Saunier, Pierre Yves, Transnational History (2013) (1 op)

Skinner, Quentin, Visions of Politics, Volume I: Regarding Method (2002) (2 op)

Steinmetz, Willibald et al. (eds), Conceptual History in the European Space (2017) (2 op)

Wiesner, Claudia et al. (eds), Debates, rhetoric and political action: practices of textual interpretation and analysis (2017) (2 op)

Social and cultural history approaches

Alasuutari, Pertti, Tasavalta : sodan jälkeisen Suomen kaudet ja trendit (2. uud. laitos 2017) (2 op)

Cohen, Deborah, & O’Connor, Maura, Comparison and History: Europe in Cross-National Perspective (2004) (2 op)

Digital Histories: Emergent Approaches within the New Digital History,​ ​eds​ ​Petri Paju, Mila Oiva & Mats Fridlund (2020) (1 op)

Feinstein, C. H., & Thomas, M., Making history count: a primer in quantitative methods for historians (2002) (2 op)

Gustavsson, Martin & Svanström, Yvonne (red.), Metod : guide för historiska studier (2018) (2 op).

Haapala, Pertti, Sosiaalihistoria. Johdatus tutkimukseen. Verkkojulkaisu https://www.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/167554/KK012_opt.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (1989) (1 op)

Hannikainen, Matti O., Danielsbacka, Mirkka, Tepora, Tuomas (toim.), Menneisyyden rakentajat : teoriat historiantutkimuksessa (2018) (2 op)

Haupt, Heinz-Gerhard, & Kocka, Jürgen (eds), Comparative and Transnational History: Central European Approaches and New Perspectives (2009) (2 op)

Kalela: Historia ja historiantutkimus (Gaudeamus 2000) (2 op)

Villstrand, Nils Erik & Karonen, Petri (toim.), Kulkemattomat polut: mahdollinen Suomen historia (2017) (1 op)