Specialized heuristics and exercises on questions of history : the contemporary period [ LHIST1434 ]

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The student is progressively introduced to working tools, synthesizing works and important monographs, as well as the typology of sources for the period considered. These exercises are designed to complement the corresponding heuristics course.

During group exercise sessions, various sources related to the period concerned are successively presented and analysed, on the basis of a preliminary, personal work by students.

By the end of the course, the students should be capable of carrrying out documentary research for the contemporary period, situating it in the context of the problems analysed as finely as possible and grasping the link between the problem and recourse to documentation.
By the end of the exercises, the student should be capable of successfully carrying out in-depth study of documents related to contemporary history (nature of the source, contents, critical problems, interest).

Proficiency assessment is not based on a verification of encyclopedic knowledge but rather on a heuristic investigation whose theme the student chooses in November and which is to be finished in April.

Exercises : based on written reports

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The question is to provide an introduction to documentary research, keeping a dual imperative in mind : the finest analysis possible of various components of a given problematic on the one hand; recourse to documentation allowing us to confront a problematic on the other.

An important part of proficiency assessment is based on a personal work. The student's chosen theme is subject to the instructor's approval. The exercises take up the use, criticism and development of the analysis of different types of sources. Without locking ourselves at all costs into a theme, they nonetheless try to follow a line of reasoning most liable to capture the student's attention.

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Support : Student Notes - Syllabus (text), the student chooses a theme of heuristic investigation, necessitating regular interviews with the instructor.

Teaching : the professor and, should need arise, assistants assigned by the Department.