Diversity in Historiography

Paper Summary:

This paper maintains that since the US, after the Civil War, was a highly diverse society with radically different perspectives, we need to include diversity in our historiography.The paper relates that by seeking information from all sources, the impact of bias is reduced and the account better reflects the human experience. The paper also asserts that incorporating the individual histories of specific identity groups will allow members of each group to be understood in relation to the broader history of the nation.

From the Paper:

"The way we study history colors our view of that history. History itself is a sum of collective experiences that has been synthesized through many sources, each with its own unique perspective. As a people, our history is more valuable the more accurately it is represented.
"Each source from which we draw our history contains biases. Histories are comprised of accounts and records of human experience and almost all of these accounts and records are influenced by bias of some sort. For example even the recording of facts, such as birth records, can contain bias in that in some societies, not all births were recorded. Being that each source contains some form of bias, the best way to develop an accurate recording of history is to seek to eliminate the impact of such biases to the best possible degree. Diversification of sources helps to do this."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Novick, Peter (1988). That Noble Dream: The Objectivity Question and the American Historical Profession. Cambridge University Press. pp 571-586 Retrieved May 8, 2008 from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=b42WRrk0-rEC&dq=historiography&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=waBY57wWAQ&sig=3cWyrBdpCMCOZxe6QxQ0Zfn7uMk#PPA576,M1
• American Historiography. Answers.com. Retrieved May 8, 2008 from http://www.answers.com/topic/historiography-american

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