What is history? What is it that historians do? In this course, students will explore questions of how and why we historians practice our craft. The first section of the course will examine how historians come to know, think about, and understand the past. Issues of objectivity and bias, types and uses of sources, and the nature of historical "truth" will be discussed. Next, we will address the ways in which historians write about the past, considering historical fiction and film, microhistory, and the influence of postmodernism on historical narratives. Finally, we will examine the uses of history, including history education and the construction of historical memory. The class will meet once a week, and each session will focus on some theoretical material as well as readings that concretely illustrate the methodological issues at stake. These readings will be drawn from topics in modern history, such as westward expansion in the United States, the Pacific War, the Holocaust, and the age of terror. Format: seminar. Evaluation will be based on class participation, response papers, short essays, and a research project. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 20 (expected: 20). Restricted to History majors.