Now and Then

The transcript discusses the challenges historians face in maintaining objectivity due to their cultural and societal influences. It emphasizes the importance of understanding both past and present contexts to avoid biases. The speaker highlights how historical perspectives evolve, using British history as an example, and encourages historians to engage with current events to enrich their research. Curiosity is deemed essential for historians to make sense of the past, which is inherently incoherent, and to impose order on historical events.

Why is it challenging for historians to achieve complete objectivity?

• They lack access to historical documents.

• They are influenced by their own societal context.

• They do not have enough historical training.

• They are biased towards modern events.

What was the primary focus of British history syllabuses before the 1950s?

• Industrial Revolution

• Glorious Revolution

• Social and economic history

• British constitutional history

How has the focus of British historical studies changed since the 1950s?

• From constitutional history to social and economic history

• From economic history to political history

• From industrial history to cultural history

• From social history to constitutional history

What advice is given to historians regarding their approach to historical research?

• Rely only on written records

• Engage with the present and have diverse experiences

• Avoid interacting with contemporary society

• Focus solely on past events

What quality is deemed essential for historians to make sense of the past?

• Curiosity

• Indifference

• Patience

• Precision