Topics in History: Set in Stone? Monuments, Memory & Public History

Public spaces are repositories of national, state, and local histories, often with overlooked aspects. Recent calls for official apologies for slavery, colonization, discrimination, and massacres, and demands for recognition of past atrocities and revision of public spaces have placed the field of history and historians at the center. Societies are engaged in a lively debate about the importance of revisiting the symbols of the past we live with, the ones we encounter on our streets, plazas, and memorial sites. This course will introduce you to this reevaluation through a three-pronged approach, allowing for scrutinizing the cultural importance of statues in crafting national memories, their place in public spaces, and the debate over their permanence after a society adopts a critical review of the past.

Course Attributes: BU Hum; AS HUM; FA HUM; AR HUM; EN H

Topics in History: Set in Stone? Monuments, Memory & Public History

HISTORY 245

Section 01

Section 21