M.A. in History Student Handbook 2011-2012

HIST421: Beyond the Text: Literature, Image and Voice as Historical Evidence
Module Convenor: Dr Sarah Barber
This module examines historical approaches to visual, audio visual, aural, oral and artefactual
sources. It is not confined to these sources, and may not cover all of them in any one year, tailored to
suit the specialisms of each cohort. It is designed to be of value to any postgraduate student
irrespective of periodisation, and has in the past covered the gamut from ancient Rome to the modern
day. The aim is to deepen student familiarity with the range of sources available to historians, to
analyse how non-traditional sources have been approached by historians, and to suggest ways in
which students can approach these sources within their own research. The module design permits a
degree of tailoring around student interests, and students will be given the opportunity to submit
module work relating the module to their chosen area of historical investigation. Students will find
the textbook useful: Sarah Barber and Corinna Peniston Bird (eds.), History beyond the Text: A
Student's Guide to approaching alternative Sources (Routledge, 2009).
Taught: Michaelmas Term
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