OVERVIEW

The Public History course aims to provide students with the skills and tools necessary for the production, mediation, and dissemination of historical content across the various fields of contemporary communication. Through the analysis of public representations of the past and of the principal methods and tools of historical communication and outreach, the course seeks to train professionals capable of designing and managing historical communication projects, products, and initiatives for broad and diverse audiences.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide an adequate understanding of Public History, conceived as an inter- and transdisciplinary field of the past that follows a bottom-up approach. By the end of the course, students should be able to master its themes, methods, and perspectives.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Ecco una traduzione in inglese con un registro accademico adatto a una scheda di insegnamento di laurea magistrale:

At the end of the course, students who have actively attended classes and/or have adequately prepared using the prescribed readings will:

a) acquire knowledge of the main theoretical and methodological approaches to Public History, understanding their development, fields of application, and role in the production and dissemination of historical knowledge in contemporary society. They will also become familiar with the principal tools, languages, and contexts through which the past is communicated to different audiences (knowledge and understanding).

b) be able to apply the knowledge acquired to the critical analysis of historical communication products and practices, using appropriate methodologies and tools for the design of initiatives aimed at the dissemination, enhancement, and narration of the past across a variety of media, cultural, and digital contexts (applying knowledge and understanding).

c) develop an autonomous capacity for critical judgment regarding the public representation of history, the relationships between historical research, memory, and communication, as well as the ethical, cultural, and social implications arising from the public use of the past (making judgements).

d) be capable of communicating complex historical content effectively to diverse audiences by employing appropriate languages, formats, and communication tools. They will also be able to collaborate in the design and development of historical communication products and initiatives through workshop activities and discussions with fellow students and the instructor (communication skills).

e) acquire methodological and practical skills that enable them to integrate historical knowledge with the fields of communication, information, and publishing, developing autonomous learning and professional updating abilities useful both for further academic study and for careers related to the production and dissemination of historical culture (learning skills).

These objectives will be pursued through lectures, seminars, workshop activities, case-study analysis, and individual and/or group projects. The course aims to foster a critical understanding of contemporary forms of public engagement with history and to develop the ability to design and implement historical communication initiatives addressed to broad and diverse audiences, promoting dialogue between historical research, media, cultural institutions, and society.

Part of the course will be conducted in a workshop-based format and will be devoted to the analysis and design of Public History tools and practices. Particular attention will be paid to the communicative and educational potential of game-based approaches to history, including digital public history, multimedia storytelling, podcasts, social media, exhibitions and museum interpretation, as well as historically themed board games and analogue role-playing games. Workshop activities may include the design, critical analysis, and testing of products and formats aimed at the enhancement and communication of historical heritage to different audiences.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1. Introduction to Public History

• Definitions, origins, and development of the discipline.
• Public History in the international and Italian contexts.
• Public History, public memory, and the public uses of history.

2. History, Memory, and Society

• History and memory: differences and intersections.
• Collective memory, identity, and memory conflicts.
• Cultural heritage and the construction of the past.

3. Communicating History

• Languages and forms of historical communication.
• The relationship between academic research and public dissemination.
• Audiences, publics, and participation.

4. Public History and Traditional Media

• History and journalism.
• Documentaries, television, and historical dissemination.
• Historical publishing and popular history.

5. Digital Public History

• History in the digital environment.
• Websites, blogs, and collaborative platforms.
• Social media and the communication of the past.
• Opportunities and challenges of digital disintermediation.

6. Storytelling and Narrating the Past

• Historical storytelling techniques.
• Narrative, emotions, and audience engagement.
• Podcasts and audio products for historical communication.

7. Public History, Museums, and Cultural Heritage

• Museums, exhibitions, and interpretative pathways.
• Public History and heritage enhancement.
• Participatory practices and community engagement.

8. Public History and Gaming Culture

• Games and historical learning.
• Gamification and game-based learning.
• Historical video games and representations of the past.
• Historically themed board games and analogue role-playing games as tools of Public History.

9. Public History Laboratory

• Critical analysis of case studies.
• Design and development of a historical communication project.
• Creation of a podcast, social media campaign, exhibition concept, or history-based game artifact.
• Presentation and discussion of students’ projects.

10. Ethical Issues and Future Perspectives in Public History

• The social responsibility of historians.
• Fake history, misinformation, and the political uses of the past.
• Emerging professions and future developments in Public History.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Th. Cauvin, Public History: A Textbook of Practice, London, Routledge, 2022 (seconda edizione).

Additional italian-language texts will be indicated at the beginning of the course.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

RENZO REPETTI (President)

LUCA LO BASSO (President Substitute)

LUCA DOMIZIO (Substitute)

LEONARDO SCAVINO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes begin on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy