Syllabus—The History of History

an introduction to historical research graduate seminar @ suny brockport, fall 2025.

Instructor info

Dr. Michael J. Kramer, Department of History, SUNY Brockport, mkramer@brockport.edu.

Who is your instructor?

Michael J. Kramer specializes in modern US cultural and intellectual history, transnational history, public history, digital humanities, and cultural criticism. He is an associate professor of history at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport, the author of The Republic of Rock: Music and Citizenship in the Sixties Counterculture (Oxford University Press, 2013), and the director of the Berkeley Folk Music Festival Project. He is currently working on a history of the 1976 United States bicentennial celebration and a study of folk music, technology, and cultural democracy in the United States. He edits The Carryall, an online journal of US cultural and intellectual history and maintains a blog of cultural criticism, Culture Rover. His website, with additional information about publications, projects, courses, talks, and more can be found at michaeljkramer.net.

What are we up to?

History, at first, seems like a simple proposition. It’s what happened. Right away, however, the questions get thornier. Happened to whom? Happened where? Who is telling the story? From where are their facts coming? How are they putting those facts together? What questions or perspectives are they bringing to their telling of the past? Why should we care? In this course, we delve into these more difficult issues to deepen our collective understanding of historical knowledge and the methods that can be used to pursue it. We cannot cover everything in this semester-long history of history, but we can start to open the topic for scrutiny. We can begin to frame and define our understanding of history and historical practice. To do so, we will focus on two rich, complex books about history and historical methodology. Students will also begin to refine their own research skills as practitioners of historical inquiry through the development of a prospectus for their capstone project in the SUNY Brockport Masters of History graduate program.

Things you are expected to do this term

By taking this course you are agreeing to do the following to the best of your abilities:

• Complete the readings.
• Come to class prepared.
• Participate in discussions in class through both comments and listening to and responding to others.
• Complete the assignments.
• Be respectful of yourself, your instructor, and your fellow students.
• This is a hybrid synchronous course. If you are attending online, please find a quiet place with a good internet connection to join the course; keep your camera on and use a headset if possible.

Required books

• Maza, Sarah C. Thinking about History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.
• Novick, Peter. That Noble Dream: The “Objectivity Question” and the American Historical Profession. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988.

Schedule

UNIT I: “History never repeats itself, but it does rhyme”

August 25: Introductions—What Is History, Anyway?

• Reading:
  • Maza, Introduction
  • Andrews, Thomas and Flannery Burke. “What Does It Mean to Think Historically?,” Perspectives on History, January 2007
  • Earls, Averill, Elizabeth Garner Masarik, Sarah Handley-Cousins, and Marissa C. Rhodes. “What about Continuity?” Perspectives on History, Spring 2024

September 01: No Class—Labor Day

• Assignment:
  • Student Introduction

September 08: The History of Whom? The History of Where—Capstone Prospectus Development 01: Imagining

• Reading: Maza, Introduction, Chapters 1-2
• Assignments:
  • What Is History? Assignment 01
  • Capstone Prospectus Development 01: Imagining

September 15: How Is History Produced?—Research Skills 01

• Faculty visit: Dr. Paul Moyer, specializations: Early American History; History of Witchcraft & Witch-Hunting
• Reading: Maza, Chapter 4
• Assignments:
  • What Is History? Assignment 02

September 22: Causes or Meanings—Research Skills 02

• Reading: Maza, Chapter 5
• Guest faculty member visit
• Assignments:
  • What Is History? Assignment 03

September 29: Facts or Fictions—Capstone Prospectus Development 02: Sketching

• Faculty visit: Dr. Elizabeth Garner Masarik, specializations: U.S. Women’s History; The Gilded Age and Progressive Era; Welfare; U.S./Mexico Borderlands
• Reading: Maza, Chapter 6, Conclusion
• Assignments:
  • What Is History? Assignment 04
  • Capstone Prospectus Development 02: Sketching

UNIT II: “Nailing jelly to the wall”

October 06: Objectivity enthroned

• Faculty visit: Dr. Takashi Nishiyama, specializations: Modern Japan; History of Technology; History of International Migration
• Reading: Novick, Preface-Part 1

October 13: No Class—Fall Break—Capstone Prospectus Development 03: First Draft

• Assignment (due Friday October 17)
  • Capstone Prospectus Development 03: First Draft

October 20: Objectivity besieged—Research Skills 03

• Faculty visit: Dr. John Daly, specializations: American Civil War; American religious history
• Reading: Novick, Part 2
• Assignments:
  • What Is History? Assignment 05

October 27: Objectivity reconstructed — Research Skills 04

• Faculty visit: Dr. Katherine Clark Walter, specializations: Medieval European History; Gender; Culture and Religion
• Reading: Novick, Part 3
• Assignments:
  • What Is History? Assignment 06

November 03: Objectivity in crisis—Capstone Prospectus Development 04: Second Draft

• Faculty visit: Dr. Anne Macpherson, specializations: Latin American and Caribbean History
• Reading: Novick, Part 4
• Assignments:
  • Capstone Prospectus Development 04: Second Draft
  • What Is History? Assignment 07

UNIT III: Prospecting for history

November 10: Capstone Prospectus Workshop 01

• Assignments:
  • Capstone Prospectus Development 05: Presentation Outline

November 17: Capstone Prospectus Workshop 02

November 24: No Class—Thanksgiving Break

December 01: Final Reflections, Future Directions

December 15: Final Assignments

• Capstone Prospectus
• What Is History? Assignment Compilation and Final Reflections

Assignments and evaluations

All assignments due by Saturday, midnight except where noted.

• Student Introduction = 5%
• What Is History? Assignments and Seminar Participation = 7 x 5% = 35%
• Capstone Prospectus Development = 5 x 5% = 25%
  • 01: Imagining
  • 02: Sketching
  • 03: First Draft
  • 04: Second Draft
  • 05: Presentation Outline
• Capstone Prospectus = 25%
• What Is History? Assignment Compilation Into Final Reflections = 10%

Rubric

Yes! = A-level work.

• on-time submission of assignments
• for class meetings, regular attendance and timely preparation overall, plus insightful, constructive, respectful, and regular participation in class discussions
• a thorough understanding of required course materials as expressed in seminar meeting participation
  For writing assignments:
• accurate, clear, well-written responses to prompts when relevant
• a credible, persuasive argument of originality
• argument persuasively supported by relevant, accurate, and clearly explicated evidence
• persuasive integration of argument and evidence in an insightful overall analysis
• excellent organization: introduction, topic sentences, coherent paragraphs, use of evidence, contextualization, analysis, smooth transitions, conclusion
• graceful, clear, logical prose style with effective word choice, avoidance of clichés, and free of spelling and grammatical errors
• correct page formatting when relevant, with regular margins, double spaced, and 12-point font
• accurate formatting of footnotes and, when required, bibliography with required citation and documentation using Chicago Manual of Style guidelines

Getting Closer = B-level work, It is good, but with minor problems in one or more areas that need improvement.

Needs Work = C-level work is acceptable, but with major problems in several areas or a major problem in one area.

Needs A Lot of Work = D-level work. It shows major problems in multiple areas, including missing or late assignments, missed class meetings, and other shortcomings.

Nope = E-level work is unacceptable. It fails to meet basic course requirements and/or standards of academic integrity/honesty.

Academic integrity policy

Please refer to SUNY Brockport’s official Academic Integrity Policy. Be sure to follow the guidelines to avoid penalty for plagiarism, improper use of AI, or other violations of campus policies.

Citation and style guide: Using Chicago Manual of Style

Historians generally use Chicago Manual of Style for citation, bibliography, and formatting. Please familiarize yourself with Chicago Manual of Style.

• There is a nice overview of citation at the Chicago Manual of Style website
• For additional, helpful guidelines, visit the Drake Memorial Library’s Chicago Manual of Style page
• You can always go right to the source: the Chicago Manual of Style is available for reference at the Drake Memorial Library Reserve Desk

Writing consultation

Writing Tutoring is available through the Academic Success Center. It will help at any stage of writing. Be sure to show your tutor the assignment prompt and syllabus guidelines to help them help you.

Research consultation

The librarians at Drake Memorial Library are an incredible resource. You can consult with them remotely or in person. To schedule a meeting, go to the front desk at Drake Library or visit the library website’s Consultation page.

Attendance policy

You will certainly do better with evaluation in the course, learn more, and get more out of the class the more you attend meetings, participate in discussions, complete readings, and finish assignments. That said, lives get complicated. Therefore, you may miss up to three class meetings, with or without a justified reason, with no penalty. You do not need a note from a doctor, but feel free to notify the instructor of your absence. If you are ill, please stay home and take precautions if you have any covid or flu symptoms. Moreover, masks are welcome in class if you are still recovering from illness or feel sick. After three absences, subsequent absences will result in reduction of final course grade at the discretion of the instructor. Please note: the instructor does not offer extra credit in this course.

Disabilities and accommodations

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Brockport Faculty Senate legislation, students with documented disabilities may be entitled to specific accommodations. SUNY Brockport is committed to fostering an optimal learning environment by applying current principles and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion. If you are a student with a disability and want to utilize academic accommodations, you must register with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to obtain an official accommodation letter which must be submitted to faculty for accommodation implementation. If you think you have a disability, you may want to meet with SAS to learn about related resources. You can find out more about Student Accessibility Services or by contacting SAS via the email address sasoffice@brockport.edu or phone number (585) 395-5409. Students, faculty, staff, and SAS work together to create an inclusive learning environment. Feel free to contact the instructor with any questions.

Discrimination and harassment policies

Sex and Gender discrimination, including sexual harassment, are prohibited in educational programs and activities, including classes. Title IX legislation and College policy require the College to provide sex and gender equity in all areas of campus life. If you or someone you know has experienced sex or gender discrimination (including gender identity or non-conformity), discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or pregnancy, sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or stalking, we encourage you to seek assistance and to report the incident through these resources. Confidential assistance is available on campus at Hazen Center for Integrated Care. Another resource is RESTORE. Note that by law faculty are mandatory reporters and cannot maintain confidentiality under Title IX; they will need to share information with the Title IX & College Compliance Officer.

Statement of equity and open communication

We recognize that each class we teach is composed of diverse populations and are aware of and attentive to inequities of experience based on social identities including but not limited to race, class, assigned gender, gender identity, sexuality, geographical background, language background, religion, disability, age, and nationality. This classroom operates on a model of equity and partnership, in which we expect and appreciate diverse perspectives and ideas and encourage spirited but respectful debate and dialogue. If anyone is experiencing exclusion, intentional or unintentional aggression, silencing, or any other form of oppression, please communicate with me and we will work with each other and with SUNY Brockport resources to address these serious problems.

Disruptive student behaviors

Please see SUNY Brockport’s procedures for dealing with students who are disruptive in class.

Emergency alert system

In case of emergency, the Emergency Alert System at The College at Brockport will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the College’s Emergency Information website.