Historical agency as a problem for researchers in history education

Abstract

In this paper, I am dealing with conceptual problems, turning attention to the second order concept of historical agency, which was identified early as important for historical understanding, but which has received little subsequent attention from history education researchers, despite its attention from philosophers, sociologists and historians. It is a fundamentally contested term, and the bulk of this paper consists of an exploration of a number of challenges raised by it. At the end, notwithstanding unresolved conceptual dilemmas, I will suggest avenues for empirical research on historical agency that might help inform history education, and contribute to more active, useful, and meaningful teaching and learning of history.

Keywords

• Historical education
• Historical agency
• Historical learning
• Second order concept