Topic2 Diving into Historiography Event Vs Narrative

Summary

In this lecture, Dr. Vicki Kis delves into the dual nature of history as both factual events and narrative storytelling, highlighting the complexities of historiography. She emphasizes the importance of understanding historical events from multiple perspectives to avoid bias and the significance of causation in creating coherent historical explanations. The discussion on global and Filipino experiences, including Martial Law and World War II, illustrates the need to balance determinism and chance for a comprehensive historical understanding.

Takeaways

• 📚 History can be approached as both an event and a narrative, with the former focusing on factual occurrences and the latter on storytelling.
• 🌏 The global Asian and Filipino experiences are used to illustrate the complexity of history and the importance of considering multiple perspectives.
• 📝 The recording of factual events in history is essential but can be criticized for potentially leading to a biased understanding if done without context.
• 🎭 Narrative storytelling in history helps to appreciate the deeper understanding and context that can be lost in a purely factual recounting.
• 🤔 Selection bias is a significant challenge in documenting history as events, where historians may choose facts that align with their own inclinations.
• ⏳ Time is needed to properly understand contemporary events before they can be accurately recorded as history, as interpretations can evolve with new data.
• 🔍 Causation is a crucial concept in historiography, helping to create a coherent explanation of the past by identifying and analyzing the causes of events.
• 🌐 Determinism and chance both play critical roles in shaping history, with determinism highlighting the influence of preceding causes and chance introducing unpredictability.
• 🏛 The Treaty of Versailles, the rise of fascism, and the Great Depression are recognized as causes of World War II, showing the interconnectedness of events.
• 🇵🇭 In the Philippines, understanding events like martial law has been shaped by time and varying perspectives, emphasizing the evolving nature of historical interpretation.
• 🌳 A full understanding of history requires considering both determinism and chance, as well as combining factual events with narrative storytelling for a richer perspective.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lecture given by Dr. Vicki Kis?

The lecture focuses on exploring the perspectives of history as both an event and a narrative, with a specific emphasis on the global Asian and Filipino experiences.

What are the two fundamental ways to approach history mentioned in the script?

The two fundamental ways to approach history are the recording of factual events and the crafting of narrative storytelling.

How does the perception of the Treaty of Versailles by different nations exemplify the narrative aspect of history?

The perception of the Treaty of Versailles by different nations exemplifies the narrative aspect of history because it shows how varying interpretations of a single event can lead to different narratives.

What criticisms does the script raise about learning history solely from a nationalistic perspective?

The script criticizes the nationalistic perspective for potentially omitting crucial opposing viewpoints, which can lead to a biased understanding of history.

What is the challenge of selection bias when historians document history as events?

Selection bias challenges historians to avoid choosing facts that align with their own inclinations, such as emphasizing only the positive aspects of a country's history.

Why is it important for historians to consider both determinism and chance when analyzing history?

Considering both determinism and chance is important because it allows historians to account for both the predictable influences of preceding causes and the impact of unpredictable factors on historical events.

How does the script describe the process of understanding causation in history?

The script describes understanding causation in history as a process where historians assign causes to events to create a coherent explanation of the past, often starting by identifying multiple causes before determining the ultimate cause.

What is an example of a historical event that has required time to be properly understood before being recorded as history?

The interpretation of the 2008 financial crisis is an example of an event that has evolved as new data became available, requiring time to be properly understood.

How has the understanding of historical events like Martial Law in the Philippines been shaped over time?

The understanding of historical events like Martial Law in the Philippines has been shaped by time and varying perspectives, reflecting the evolving nature of historical interpretation.

What does the script suggest as a method to gain a fuller picture of historical events?

The script suggests that a fuller picture of historical events can be gained by integrating both factual events and narrative storytelling, such as analyzing personal stories alongside a record of events.

What does the script imply about the enriching nature of studying history?

The script implies that studying history is most enriching when both perspectives—factual events and narrative storytelling—are combined, allowing for a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in our past.