By: Ethan, Melanie, and Isra
The question of whether historians should act as society’s moral compass is asked time and time again. More often than not, historians dislike making explicit moral evaluations and have little or no training in how to do so. Many historians believe that it is not their place to act as the judge and jury of past societies; they are, instead, merely fact finders. Others, however, will argue that it is difficult if not impossible for historians to avoid making moral judgements either implicitly or explicitly; on some level, historians will pass judgment on the subjects of their study whether they intended to or not. While historians may be viewed primarily as academics, the public often looks to historians for their expertise in matters off campus. There are, then, two different situations in which historians might engage in moralization: (I), within their research and writing, and (II), during their engagement with the public. In the discussion that follows, the blog team will contribute opposing perspectives and will elaborate them further in the coming weeks.
Isra: The Objectivity of Research
All research, even that which is purely scientific, is guided by the researcher's positionality and inherent biases. There are many inescapable factors that affect a historian's objectivity, such as: why they chose a certain topic, the sources they chose to use, and where they intend to have it published. The "truth" is based on the set of facts that a person believes to be legitimate; what determines that legitimacy are the biases and preconceptions of the individual. It is, therefore, not just important to understand one’s own possible biases and preconceived notions but to fully disclose one’s positionality to the audience. It is equally as important to understand that critical thinking has to be used when analyzing any source. The goal of historical research is to provide an understanding of the past to better comprehend human nature. People are generally the same throughout human history, which means that we can make more informed decisions for the future by studying the past. Historical research can also be used to change people’s perspectives surrounding a certain topic by presenting new evidence and interpretations. It is essential to do this research using a variety of sources, not just those found in archival institutions.
Ethan: Moralizing History
As Gordon Wright remarked long ago: "The idea of consciously reintroducing the moral dim into history runs counter to the basic training of most historians, and probably their professional instinct as well.” Basic undergraduate historical research teaches students to avoid presentism and, thus, moral judgments. If one were to throw modern beliefs into the past, it does not allow us to understand how society was structured in its historical context. Jeremy Black, a professor at the University of Exeter, asserts that even if society was different, individuals with a different mindset are not devoid of merit. Moralizing history contradicts the saying that “we must learn from history” since different mindsets still have merit, the moral condemnation of past societies and their mindsets doesn't contribute to us learning anything from history.
Melanie: The Responsibility of Historians
Public outreach is the second situation where moralizing history is debated. Historians have been asked to stand as witnesses in trials such as the Nuremberg Trials in 1945-1946 and during the litigation surrounding the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Historians have been considered “expert witnesses," which brings into question their responsibility and capacity to contribute to trials and the direction of the law. It is fair to say that historians have developed the skills necessary to analyze historical sources, understand context, and gather evidence in support of their arguments; several historians have utilized these skills in legal proceedings and have thus influenced legal outcomes. Historians also have the resources such as documents, archives, and records to determine what we consider to be the truth (whatever that may be). From this, it becomes evident that the canons of argument in trial and classroom differ. Historians often come off badly and trials because they do not have the tools that they were trained with. In the classroom, facts are contextualized and interpreted over long periods of scrutiny. In the courtroom, facts are ascertained at the last minute. There is an argument that historians should not stand as witnesses in trials: “the courtroom – [neglecting] to acknowledge differences between various legal systems, state courts, and international tribunals – is no place for historians.” I'm not entirely sure I agree with that statement, as there are many different types of historians, and many parts of history discuss politics, laws, and look at events from an international sphere.
In our minds, moralizing history is not what historians are meant to do, however anyone who engages in history can make their own interpretations. We believe that they are supposed to act as guiding tools for understanding parts of history, and it is the responsibility of society to determine the morality of certain historical events. The purpose of historians is to provide the facts in as unbiased and objective manner as possible to those who need them.
Works Cited
“Can Scholars Help Save the Voting Rights Act?” Home. Accessed January 24, 2023.
https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/february-2017/historians-as-expert-witnesses-can-scholars-help-save-the-voting-rights-act.
Gidley, Rebecca, and Mathew Turner. “Judicializing History: Mass Crimes Trials and the
Historian as Expert Witness in West Germany, Cambodia, and Bangladesh.” Digital Commons, University of South Florida, 2018. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol12/iss3/9/.
Peter Mandler, “The Responsibility of the Historian”, in Harriet Jones, Kjell Östberg and Nico Randeraad (eds), Contemporary History on Trial: Europe since 1989 and the Role of the Expert Historian (Manchester University Press, 2007), pp. 12-26.
Decolonising The Curriculum (with Prof. Jeremy Black MBE). YouTube. YouTube, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiOMWNfNa5g&list=WL&index=8&t=0s.
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