HI 8863: History of Modern (Scientific) Objects   Tags: history  

Wednesdays, 3:00 PM to 5:50 PM, Allen 211

Instructor: Alexandra Hui (ahui@history.msstate.edu)

The larger goal of this course is to gain experience in the process of “doing history.”  To this end, each student will develop a small, primary source-based research project that will culminate in an article-length paper that is of publishable quality.  The first third of the course will consist of historiographical reading and discussion in relation to the course theme as well as the careful planning of students’ research projects.  The second third of the course will be a period in which students will work independently, doing the bulk of their research and beginning the writing portion of their project.  In the final third of the course we will again meet regularly for students to present their projects and exchange feedback before submitting their final manuscripts. 

In order to provide some structure to this exercise, the course is framed around the theme of “a history of modern (scientific) objects.”  Most generally, one can think of this as a history of how objects gain significance.  Why and how do inert things become objects of interpretation, complaint, or curiosity? As Lorraine Daston states, “things become talkative when they fuse matter and meaning.”  What values and meanings of a particular socio-cultural context allow things to become objects of inquiry?   

I would like students to develop research projects that address some of these themes within the context of modern Europe.  While I would like students to examine the epistemological roots of their chosen object, I put “science” in parentheses in order to deemphasize the role of the hard sciences.  Which is to say that students should not feel constrained to study “scientific objects” as traditionally defined.  Instead I would encourage them to think about a broader understanding of science as “knowledge” or “systematic inquiry” and develop their projects accordingly.