The Historian Dilemma: “History is Just Lectures and Readings”

It's time for another historian dilemma! Today, I'm focusing on the idea that "history is just lectures and readings."

This is another understandable way of viewing history, no matter how much historians get annoyed about this phrase. In many cases, history is taught in lecture form with supplemental readings. So yes, it is "lectures and reading." But it's not just that. In history classes, lectures and supplemental readings are simply the easiest way to convey the information in the classroom setting.

In many cases, as with other historian dilemmas, this thinking could be also be attributed to a not-so-good history teacher. Their lectures are boring, the reading doesn't help the course, along with other reasons.

What, as a non-historian, can you do to get away from this thinking? Here are a few things to try out and/or consider:

1. Look into and watch historical dramas - movies, shows, musicals, etc. and read historical fiction
2. Once you do that, look into documentaries and history nonfiction books
3. Look into countries and time periods that you are actually interested

I would also highly recommend starting off with books and documentaries that don't have anything to do with your classes, i.e. books and documentaries you had to read and watch for classes. This way, you're not having flashbacks to those classes (because, as we all know, those happen) and you can enjoy what you're taking in.

In most cases, books and documentaries relay the information better than history classes in elementary, junior high, and high school levels. I would also recommend that, if you're still attending school, take a history class at the university/college level.

What, as a historian, can you do to deal with someone who thinks this way? Here are a few things to try out and/or consider:

1. Suggest some books and documentaries (both history nonfiction and historical fiction)
2. Based on what they like, suggest a certain time period

Look, I get it: it's hard to just grin and bear it when we hear the phrase "history is just lectures and readings." However, it's not something that can't be worked around. Additionally, as much as we hate the phrase, it shouldn't be a "make or break" type of deal if someone says this. So just understand where that person might be coming from, and see if they're interested in a new view of history.