Source Criticism

Teacher(s)

Bousmar Eric;

Language

French

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

The course aims to develop and systematise a critical approach towards information, with the critical methods developed by historians as a starting point. Therefore the aim is twofold : on the one hand to understand to what extent a historian's discourse may be considered scientific and on the other hand to take advantage of the methods historians have developed to apply them to the analysis of a present-day documents in the field of Humanities or in everyday life.

Content

The first part of the course will systematically study the rules of external criticism, internal criticism and confrontation, and then the organization of data, causality and narration. The second part of the course is devoted to the study of the foundations of historical methods (« critique historique »), seen in the context of the emergence and development of Humanities since the nineteenth century (including the post-modern reassessments) and also deals with the function of the historian in society. Special attention will be given to the rules of criticism of testimony outside the traditional scope of written documents (material, iconographic, audio-visual and audio documents). Each point of theory will be illustrated by examples.

Teaching methods

Ex-cathedra lecture based on cases and problem-situations, accompanied by a reading file. Documents are presented and analyzed or discussed during the class.
The reading file is mandatory. Each student has to read the included papers and to integrate their content within the larger frame of the lectures. However, not mandatory classes by the teaching assistant are offered in order the help students in integrating their readings as well as more generally to understand and study the content of the course.
Attendance to the lectures is mandatory. Attendance to the classes by the teaching assistant ("monitorat") is not mandatory but it is strongly recommanded.

Evaluation methods

At the end of the first term (January), oral examination (with written preparation) assessing the knowledge of the course and mandatory readings. In June and August/September, written examination (2 hours), assessing the same object.

Other information

Lecture handout that includes a course outline and a thematic bibliography.
Handout of additional mandatory readings.
Powerpoint presentation (available on the Moodle platform of the course).

Bibliography

Cf. bibliographie du syllabus-cadre, qui sera commentée au cours. Plusieurs manuels de critique historique de différents auteurs sont disponibles en bibliothèque.
A bibliography is included in the lecture handout. Several textbooks of historical methods ("critique historique") are available in the university library and are listed in this bibliography.

Teaching materials

• Critique des sources de l’information. Syllabus-cadre et bibliographie
• Critique des sources de l’information. Recueil de textes

Faculty or entity

> PHLB