A Case for National History. Issue 1 (1st January 2003)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Samuel, Raphael
• Is Part Of: History education research journal. Volume 3:Issue 1(2003)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 88
• Publication Date: 2003-01-01
• Subjects: BRITISH HISTORY -- CONSERVATIVE PARTY -- CULTURAL IDENTITY -- ETHNICITY -- HISTORY CURRICULUM -- HISTORY FROM BELOW -- LABOUR PARTY -- NATIONAL CURRICULUM -- NATIONAL IDENTITY -- NATIONALISM -- RACISM -- WORLD HISTORY; History -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; History -- Research -- Periodicals; 907
• DOI: 10.18546/HERJ.03.1.10
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2631-9713

Abstract

Abstract : The late and much lamented historian Raphael Samuel wrote this paper during the debate on the role of History as a national curriculum subject in England in the late 1980s. The Conservative government, under the lead of Kenneth Baker, the Minister for Education, introduced legislation for a National Curriculum that laid out in detail what was to be taught in English schools. History was one of the subjects in the magic circle; it turned out to be the most controversial, leading to an impassioned, adversarial debate reflecting the entrenched values and beliefs of the protagonists. Ralph Samuel, from a liberal perspective, in 1990 places this debate in its historical context, and uses it to suggest an alternative approach to a history curriculum that has 'nationalism' at its heart. Ralph's paper has a freshness, vitality and urgency that is as pertinent today as when it was written. In square brackets we have added explanatory notes.