History for Policymakers

This course is available for on-campus & remote (online) learning. All students participate in interactive, real-time classes. Contemporary policy issues often have long historical precedents. History can therefore provide policymakers with some perspective through the knowledge of past patterns, and when used responsibly, it can have a constructive influence on policy. Historical evidence can benefit policymakers as it provides not merely insight into the past, but also a basis for informed decisions, which can be drawn through the examination of continuity and change. This course looks at how history can be relied on to enhance an understanding of the present as well as raise awareness of the dangers of the negative abuse of history. It will encourage innovative ways to use historical knowledge to address present and future policy issues. Students will be encouraged to look at historical parallels, challenge existing paradigms and identify major paradigm shifts through a variety of historical case studies. This will be complemented by the perspectives of distinguished policy practitioners, who will reflect on their own experiences in historical context.