On Public History: Origin, Definitions, and Debates
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Abstract
This academic article studies the origin and the definition of public history by reviewing the distance between the modern discipline of history and the general public. As a result of the reform in the 19th century, the study of history employed scientific methodology and became objective-like. History was professionalized and institutionalized. Modern history also underwent specialization with many sub-fields. The writing style also developed with complex information, referencing footnotes, and dull prose, making academic history writing difficult to read, thus creating a gap between historians and the general public. In the 1960s, historical studies undertook a paradigm shift, influenced by civil rights movements and new left ideas. Historical studies paid more attention to the lives of ordinary people. The economic crisis of the 1970s made it difficult for historians to secure university jobs. Therefore, historical organizations tried to find a solution by training historians to work outside academia. Public history had thus arisen as a discipline with curriculums, journals, and academic associations. However, public history's definition is problematic as it encompasses a wide range of activities outside academia, for example, communicating history to the general public, working in government agencies, working in the private sector, and public participation in historical activities, etc. In addition, public history has to face criticisms such as its inferior status to the academic history, lack of theoretical framework, and possible abuses that may allow history to be tainted with biases.
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