gemita said:
Yay! I'm planning on majoring in history so definitely need some advice....I'm also planning on doing an english course on postmodernism, I did it for HSC and loved it so much that I want to keep it up at uni. If anyone knows anything about a subject like that any feedback on it would be much appreciated!
As for history, I'm most interested in the theory of history/historiography, rather than just case studies. Bolkonski, do you know anything about courses like that or are they all kind of case study stuff? And with the history courses, which ones would you recommend? I don't think I've covered any of the areas offered in ANU history, and I'm interested in both modern and ancient. Any stand outs? Are lecturers a big factor or are should I just be looking at the courses themselves?
Thanks!
Well Gemita, I don't think you get much of a choice in the Historiography department, aside from the fact that almost every historian you look at You (you by yourself) have to consider from what perspective they are writing and to what end. If you detest case studies, you will most likely detest first year history, because thats what they are. But I think the Rome: Republic to Empire (if its on first sem) does a lot to question source validity and what the context of historians are etc etc etc, so that would probably be your best bet.
But if you wait around until second year first semester, there is a Honours pre-req course: History and Theory which covers a lot of historiography.
As for English, if you have a hankering for post-modernism, you should probably find out where it fits in the course of the novel, take the excellent course Intro to novel in second semester. IT basically tracks the whole path of the novel and all of its different forms. Warning, you have to read a novel a week, but good thing is, if you can manage it, you can expand your book collection by about 13 books.
There are more specific courses in later year for Post Modernism, but not too specific, but I presume the 19th and 20th literature course run in later years would focus heavily on it.
Also, to study the MODERNIST poem of the 20th century, do Exploring Poetry. TS Eliot. Do it!
As for History first year. I did British History and Rome, but had many many people tell me that the other combo, Australian history (1st sem) and American hist (2nd sem) was much better. I am going to go out on a limb and say codswallop. Although there was moments that I could have stabbed my lecturers with my biro, and actually daydreamed about it, they are awesome classes, good introductions to the whole university history thing.
Do Rome, and do British. The history involved, I think, is much more beneficial as it uncovers a lot of falsities, and makes you think for yourself. It also shows you how the worlds powers got the way they did. Stuff Australia, studying Rome will come in much more handy, especially when you want to use Latin and sound like a complete smart arse in an argument.
