View Specification DocumentArguing America: Contesting the History of the United States HIST4328
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Humanities
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course investigates conflicting interpretations of American history. Focusing on fundamental questions, controversies, and flashpoints, it examines how and why historians disagree about the American past, exploring how those disagreements connect to public understanding-and misunderstanding-of US history. Among others, themes discussed in the course include war and revolution, empire and violence, race, slavery and capitalism.
Timetable
10 weekly 1-hour lectures, four 1-hour seminars and three 2-hour workshops as scheduled in MyCampus.
Requirements of Entry
Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into History, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
n/a
Assessment
The standard assessments for this course are:
■ Historiographical essay (3000 words) 70%
■ Reflective commentary (1000 words) 30%
If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:
■ There is no alternative to the assessments, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)
Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.
Course Aims
This course aims to:
■ introduce students to major controversies and flashpoints in American historiography.
■ investigate the different ways historians have interpreted and understood the American past and evaluate clashing perspectives among historians.
■ hone skills in historical argument and collaborative discussion through rigorous assessment of competing versions of the past in written and oral forms.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Appraise and critically assess a range of controversies and flashpoints in American history
2. Recognise conflicting approaches to studying the American past and evaluate their connection to public as well as scholarly debate
3. Form a persuasive argument pertinent to a disputed topic or theme in the history of the United States