Expand+Interest in local history has never been greater. The activities of numerous local history societies and groups, and private individuals working on their own or with others, all bear testimony to the continuing excitement that derives from researchin...

Hide-Interest in local history has never been greater. The activities of numerous local history societies and groups, and private individuals working on their own or with others, all bear testimony to the continuing excitement that derives from researching and understanding the past in a particular locality.
This course has been designed in the University of Limerick as a practical support for such activity. It is for one-year and is a part-time evening course at certificate level. The programme is designed to provide a supportive and stimulating context for reading and research in local history. It offers a qualification to individuals who are already active in the area, an opportunity to those who are interested in historical research for their own personal development and a possible path to further study.

Objectives
On completing the course a participant will have acquired the ability to:

Examine a range of key issues in the history of localities

Develop a perspective on how local history might be written

Identify, locate, assess and interpret primary and secondary sources

Develop the skills to conduct local history research

Present the results of research in an appropriate way

A sympathetic academic environment will be provided by the course lecturers who will offer guidance and advice in appropriate research and study skills

Expand+The modules are as follows:

Autumn

Introduction to local history: approaches, definitions and presentation Defining local history; the role of the local historian; introduction to the principal aspects of the methodology of local history; ide...

Hide-The modules are as follows:

Autumn

Introduction to local history: approaches, definitions and presentation Defining local history; the role of the local historian; introduction to the principal aspects of the methodology of local history; identifying the different approaches to local history; comparative approaches in other countries; contemporary issues and debates in the field of local history; introducing the central concept of ‘community’; guidelines for the presentation and publication of local history

Introduction to documentary primary and secondary sources Identification and location of sources; categorisation of sources; an in-depth analysis of documentary sources (for example, land records, ecclesiastical sources, civil records, census records, reports and substitutes, newspapers, directories, dictionaries, accounts, business records, trade union records, personal records, local government records, literature); how to critically analyse a primary source;

Spring

Non-documentary sources for local history Locating the principal non-written sources – visual, film, video, oral history, folklore, material culture, the landscape; archaeology, maps, place names; identifying problems and possibilities associated with using sources; interpretation; using the non-written source

History research seminar The aim of this module is to provide a supportive environment wherein the student is provided with the opportunity to present the results of his or her research and to avail of constructive comment and criticism