with Beatrice de Graaf, Stefan Couperus and Harm Kaal

Part of the training program of the Research School Political History for students in the second year of their PhD is the workshop on applied history. We plan the workshop as a live event on Friday 11 March, 12.00-15.00, presumably at Utrecht University.  The workshop will be hosted by prof.dr. Beatrice de Graaf (UU), dr. Stefan Couperus (RUG) and dr. Harm Kaal (RU).Professor De Graaf will reflect on the various roles of historians in public debate and commissioned research projects, based on recent experiences with commissioned work herself, for example in the committee for Intercountry Adoption. Which skills and insights do historians bring to the table? Where to draw the line between (applied) historical research and policy recommendations or political interpretations? This will be followed by a plenary discussion about how students see their own role as historians outside of academia and in the public sphere. The discussion will be guided by prepared statements. The final part of our interactive workshop is dedicated to a discussion of applied history, again based on students’ prepared notes.

Participants need to register at bureau@onderzoekschoolpolitiekegeschiedenis.nl. The deadline for the assignments is 8 March 2022. The final program and details about the location will be mailed later.