“I’m a Historian Get Me Out of Here” – The Issue and Impossibility of Historical Awareness

“You should know this Freya,” my mum turns and says to me as we sit watching University Challenge - a round of questions focusing on some obscure period, I have never heard of playing out in front of us. If this was the jungle on I’m a Celeb, you’d hear me shouting, “I’m a historian, get me out of here” rather than attempting to answer. Now, it isn’t my mum’s fault that she asks me questions like these, or indeed the fault of my friends on the church-quiz team for doing the same, but it is simply an issue of awareness. I believe there is a lack of awareness for history as a study itself. People often think history is about knowing everything, but in reality, it’s the focused study of a specific, often small, period of time, using primary sources to understand the past more deeply. Thus, in this article I shall argue that despite doing a ‘history’ degree, I cannot possibly answer every question I face, as well as highlight some ways we could develop young historians' awareness.

There is just too much to study. My degree lasts three years, and I am currently halfway through it. Time is the main factor in our understanding of events. To understand something, we must set aside the time to study it, analyse it, and present our argument on it. Time limits our ability to answer every question out there when it comes to history. This is why we rely on experts in various different topics to aid us in our understanding. I, myself, cannot fathom the idea of choosing a topic and sticking solely to it for a period of time (a slight issue given I have to choose a thesis idea shortly), so I truly commend those who have embarked on the adventure of a PhD. Given unlimited time, I'd study everything—but time is limited. Time as such ruins our chances of becoming perfect historians who can answer every question.

Time is a serious limitation to our ability to indulge our interests. Yet, the provisions in the current education system lead to modern preconceptions in our teaching. These need to be balanced, and below I outline just how we can improve this.

Medieval does not necessarily equal modern. I have chosen to narrow my finals papers to medieval (early) history and compared to the over-exhausted modern history topics I studied at school; I am loving it. While both periods share overlapping themes—societal developments, economic growth, and political challenges—their contexts are starkly different. Yet, the way history is taught often leads to biases. It is from these that a general impression of history is often formed. These biases push students, perhaps subconsciously, to prefer familiar events over learning something new. Some of my schoolmates probably couldn’t tell you what Magna Carta was, but they could tell you about education policy in the 20th century. This makes the label ‘historian’ confusing for those outside the field who want to ask questions. As I mentioned in the introduction, these generalizations shape historical awareness. If left unchallenged, they will continue to frustrate future generations of historians.

Historical awareness is currently limited. In my experience, school history is designed to connect students to issues in the ‘real’ world, but it often fails to provide the broader scope needed for true historical understanding—reducing it instead to a tick-box exercise for passing exams. My GCSE and A-Level studies focused heavily on modern history, covering topics like Weimar and Nazi Germany, the Cold War, and Crime through the ages. When earlier periods, such as the Norman Conquest or Witchcraft, were included, they often felt like an afterthought compared to the depth given to modern topics. I feel that modern history, in its proximity to living memory for some, pushes it to younger audiences. The rise of oral histories has seemingly grasped not just historians but also the general public. Could this be the push for these modern narratives? To put an end to the modernist-only questions I face, I propose we reinvigorate the curriculum to give students an appreciation for all historical periods. Imagine the success: future historians with a broader perspective, asking more diverse and informed questions. There is simply no downside to expanding historical awareness.

Hobbies and niche interests shouldn’t just be ignored. Now, I may have sounded at the start of this article like I want to avoid difficult historical questions altogether, but that isn’t the case—I want to improve historical awareness. I actively seek out new topics to broaden my understanding. That doesn’t mean I always enjoy every subject. There are times when I feel overexposed to certain areas—modern history, for example—and would happily run in the opposite direction. But I can still study it when necessary.

This was my experience at A-Level: by the halfway mark, I found modern history dull, but I had to power through to get the qualification. Instead of forcing students to endure topics they find uninspiring, why not integrate more niche historical areas into school curriculums? Egyptian artefacts fill our museums, yet Ancient Egypt is barely covered in secondary school syllabuses. This makes certain historical fields feel inaccessible, limiting who can go on to study them. With only three universities in the UK offering degrees in Egyptology, isn’t it time we embraced these so-called 'niches'? Isn’t it time we gave non-traditional historical narratives the attention they deserve? The answer is clear: adapt the content, integrate it into teaching, and assess students on a broader range of history. In doing so, we engage them, expand their awareness, and foster a deeper appreciation for the past.

Engaging students can unlock opportunity for increasing awareness. If we tackle the issue of awareness head on through schooling, we will advance the opportunities for historians. Students are engaged with a wider selection of historical periods and ideas from a younger age and have longer, whilst in the education system, to figure out their interests. Crucially, we also secure the possibilities of new research angles for the future of our subject. Awareness is an invaluable tool for the sustainability of our subject. By improving it, maybe we will find ourselves less inclined to want to shout ‘get me out of here’ but engage in historical discussion instead.  

"I'm a Historian Get Me Out of Here" Coming to ITV when I next get home.