Perspectives on Historical Empathy for History Education in Canada: Purposes, Problems, and Possibilities
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Authors
Karn, Sara Emily
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Historical empathy , History education , Canada , Historical thinking , Affective dimensions
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Abstract
This research explores historical empathy in history education, a process of attempting to understand the thoughts, feelings, experiences, decisions, and actions of people from the past, within their historical contexts. While historical empathy has been a rich area of research in history education around the world for nearly five decades, in Canada it has remained on the margins of research, theory, and curriculum. Prior to this study, little was known about how teachers in Canada take up historical empathy in classrooms, if at all.
This conceptual and empirical inquiry into the purposes, problems, and possibilities of historical empathy in Canadian history education adopts historical, theoretical, and practice-oriented perspectives. I began the study by drawing from international literature to develop a theoretical framework that presents historical empathy as a cognitive and affective process consisting of five elements: evidence and contextualization, informed historical imagination, historical perspectives, ethical judgments, and caring. This theory informed the design of the interpretive qualitative study to follow, involving semi-structured interviews with two participant groups. First, interviews were conducted with six history education researchers who are involved in Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future (THFCF), a seven-year research project aimed at evaluating and enhancing history education across Canada. This was followed by a set of interviews conducted with seven secondary school history teachers located in Ontario.
This study examines the researchers’ and teachers’ perspectives as they relate to: 1) conceptualizing historical empathy within history education in Canada; 2) the Canadian history content and pedagogies teachers use to elicit empathy in practice; 3) the opportunities, problems, and challenges associated with the affective dimensions of historical empathy; and 4) the potential for translating historical empathy into everyday empathy, and the related skills and dispositions that may be nurtured. As a result of the interviews my initial theory of historical empathy is further expanded and clarified, animated by the voices of researchers and teachers. Finally, I bring my findings into conversation with research conducted outside of Canada. This research highlights the potential historical empathy holds for supporting meaningful learning in history and fostering solidarity and relationality among different groups and communities.
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
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Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owne
Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
Proquest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owne