One aspect of History Communication that has been much discussed is writing history for general audiences. How to effectively disseminate accurate historical information outside of the academy in a way that is also engaging has been a concern for scholars over the past decade or so. Current debate about the future of graduate education in history is transforming programs everywhere, as departments contemplate teaching narrative history, recognize the work of historians with broad public appeal by hosting writers-in-residence programs, and embrace non-traditional initiatives like the “Versatile PhD” and the AHA-Mellon History in Action program at Columbia University to support future historians in professional arenas outside of the academy.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Public History program includes a track in Writing History for the Public (scroll down for track description and sample course syllabi). The program includes courses from the departments of English, Journalism or Communication, in addition to history.
For more on writing history for the public, see also:
- “Teaching Narrative in Graduate School,” by Michael D. Hattem, The Junto
- “Writing History for the Public,” by Liz Covart, The Way of Improvement Leads Home
- “Some Autobiographical Reflections on Doing ‘Academic History’ and Writing History for Public Audiences,” by John Fea, The Way of Improvement Leads Home