Cultural History and Theory

1.5 credits · Graduate

Explores the theory and practice of cultural history, focusing on culture as topic and as methodology. Students examine the approaches of cultural historians who either seek out new sources, or read traditional sources against the grain to provide answers to new questions. Themes may include: ritual, symbolism and meaning; objects and representation; colonialism and difference; popular culture, storytelling and language. Time period and geographical focus vary with the research area of the instructor.