IDS 400 ( week 3)

Resources: Historical Narratives and Diverse Perspectives

IDS‐400‐X5852 Diversity 23EW5 MA

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Resources: Historical Narratives and Diverse Perspectives - IDS-400-X5852 Diversity 23EW5 https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1307434/viewContent/24054974/View

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Introduction Review the following resources covering this module’s topics. These resources will be valuable to you as you

complete each activity for the week. Questions are provided after most resource descriptions to help focus

your thoughts while you explore. This course discusses some topics that some students may �nd

uncomfortable, sensitive, or politically charged. All students are expected to maintain an openness toward

the curriculum that fosters a respectful learning experience for class participants. If you have concerns with

any course content or concepts, please discuss with your advisor.

NNoottee:: Please make sure you read the module overview. It contains instructional information that you will

need to know to complete this week’s activities and work on your project.

Required Resources

RReeaaddiinngg:: The Importance of the Slave Narrative Collection (https://www.loc.gov/collections/slave-

narratives-from-the-federal-writers-project-1936-to-1938/articles-and-essays/introduction-to-the-wpa-

slave-narratives/importance-of-the-slave-narratives-collection/)

Interviews from The Federal Writers Project in the late 1930s provide insight into the lives of former

enslaved people beyond traditional records created by the dominant white culture in the 1800s and early

1900s. This collection of interviews opened new conversations about enslaved people's experiences. It will

help you complete this week’s activity and discussion.

• How does a collection such as this complicate the historical record?

• How concerned should we be with the editorial power of those who are writing historical accounts and

those who are being written about?

RReeaaddiinngg:: The Limitations of the Slave Narrative Collection (https://www.loc.gov/collections/slave-

narratives-from-the-federal-writers-project-1936-to-1938/articles-and-essays/introduction-to-the-wpa-

slave-narratives/limitations-of-the-slave-narrative-collection/)

This short essay highlights some of the challenges and problems that arose in the collection of narratives by

formerly enslaved people and how assumptions about them as well as misrepresentations in the collecting

process may also impact the recording of history. It will help you complete this week’s activity and

discussion.

• What is the concern with personal recollections when writing history? Why are they valuable?

How was power present in conversations between interviewer and interviewee?

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• How was power present in conversations between interviewer and interviewee?

RReeaaddiinngg:: Silencing Marginalized Voices: The Fragmentation of the Of�cial Record

(https://journals.ala.org/index.php/rusq/article/view/6604/8823)

Government data and records are important sources of information for researchers and the public.

However, they often do not include the perspectives of marginalized people. This short article will help you

complete this week’s activity and discussion.

• Why is it signi�cant if documents on government websites are changed or removed?

• How might political biases in�uence the presence and accuracy of the information on government

websites?

RReeaaddiinngg:: Three Big Ableist Myths About the Life of Helen Keller (https://www.smithsonianmag.com

/smart-news/three-big-ableist-myths-about-life-helen-keller-180963793/)

This piece explores how the historical �gure Helen Keller has often been misrepresented in how she lived

and what she did. This article is a great example of how biases can change how we tell history. This article

will help you complete this week’s activity and discussion.

• What did you know about Helen Keller and what did you learn?

• How does this article help add more depth to Keller's life?

• Why do you think these myths are reproduced?

VViiddeeoo:: How Objective is Your History Textbook? (https://youtu.be/7AHiMBIQ26w) (8:46)

In this TEDx Talk, Jihyeon Kim explores the question of who writes history textbooks for students, how they

do it, and what the implications of that are. What makes it into history textbooks can be highly challenging,

and Kim shares her experiences across different educational systems. This video will help you complete this

week’s activity and discussion. 

• How does Kim’s exploration resonate with your own experience of reading history textbooks?

• How can we make history textbooks better re�ect a diverse population?

VViiddeeoo:: The Limits of History (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhBhP-zk0_I) (10:51)

This Crash Course series on the History of Science explores the challenges the creators of the series had in

representing a diverse set of people and groups. They could not �nd a way to include many who had

contributed to science. This video will help you complete this week’s activity and discussion.

• What insights did they share that surprised you about the history of science?

• How can we make more room to include voices that are playing a role in history?

RReeaaddiinngg:: This Map Shows the Scale of the 16th- and 17th-Century Scottish Witch Trials 

(https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/map-visualizes-scale-16th-and-17th-century-scottish-

witch-hunts-180973226/)

Read this brief article about witch trials in Scotland in the 16th and 17th century. You may explore the

interactive map, the article text, or both. This reading is required for this week’s discussion. 

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interactive map, the article text, or both. This reading is required for this week’s discussion. 

• As you read, �nd stories, details, and words that stand out as topics of diversity.

Additional Support (Optional)

LLiibbrraarryy RReessoouurrccee:: IDS 400 Library Guide (https://libguides.snhu.edu/ids400)

This library guide contains resources and databases that may help with your research throughout this

course.

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Task: View this topic

Activity Details

Explore these resources, which will help you better understand the effect of perspective and bias on historical

narratives.

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