ada writes history

Workshop: Acting & Writing

The History
Farda Asadov, Ph.D.
Institute of Oriental Studies
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
What shall we try to complete today?
 HISTORY: Acting, Writing, Presenting!
 Delimitation between Past and Present?
 History: connotations of the meaning?
 Primary and secondary sources of History
 Q&A
 Why is it important to participate in the Project?
 Goals and objectives of the Project?
 What is required from a participating student?
 Evaluation criteria of student contributions.
 Q&A.
Between Past and Present: Map of Azerbaijan
 Is this past or present map of
Azerbaijan?
 Are the realities of the past (events,
treaties, cultural areas and administrative
divisions) still present in this map and
effective?
 What details of the map do not reflect
the realities of current situation – status
quo?
 What changes may occur with this map?
 Who is going to make those changes?
 History actors  history makers and
writers?
History: the meaning, boundaries and connotations
 Azerbaijani language: Tarix – history and date
 Arabic: Tərix – history and date
 Greek – historia: knowledge acquired by investigation/inquiry/interrogation
 English: history and story
 Russian: history and story (anecdote)
 Definition of the discipline?
 The past as described in written sources!
 What is prehistory?
 If only oral transmission of knowledge existed, would it be history?
 Myths and its significance for history writing
 Does the present generation (and generations since the invention of writing) do history writing only? Does it create
myths?
 Differences between myth and credible history
 Time and place: in myth and history?
 Authorship of the narrated information?
 Proofs of credibility of the information?
Primary and Secondary Sources of History

 Primary sources
 “firsthand” knowledge of events and people
 Eyewitness account generated by participants, or contemporaneous people of the event.
Examples?
 Can a written book, or history book be a primary source?
 Secondary source
 Secondary sources are usually created by historians based on their interpretation of primary
sources.
 Created after the event and usually are influenced by the passing time (contemporaneous demands
and opinions)
 Is your text book a primary source of the Azerbaijani history?
 Instructor’s Lecture?
 In what case your instructor’s lecture can be a primary source?
Why did ADA launch the Project: goals and objectives?

 The Project idea complies with two major goals of the University mission
 Goal 1: providing good and competitive international education:
 Develop various skills of perception and evaluation of surroundings and realities (critical thinking,
artistic perception, proactive attitude)
 Develop technical skills: listening, writing, recording, language skill, time control, management skills,
etc.
 Develop mature citizenship position of students
 Keep students busy during vacation at mid semester
 Goal 2: being an advanced knowledge hub of the country:
 Collect evidence of the turning point in the history of the country
 Representing the voices of Azerbaijan in international arena
 Work to transform this University initiative into a country wide Oral history writing
Why is it reasonable for students to participate in the
Project?

 To develop personal skill of observation, reflection and documentation of the events

 To be well prepared and equipped for any external communications with foreign contacts
 Make personal contribution to “history writing” of the days of critical significance in
national history
 To develop sense of citizenship by helpful action
 To get a provided reward for active participation in the project on behalf of the University.
Evaluation criteria of student contributions to the Project

 the originality of the narrated piece - the degree of personalization of the content and main
thoughts and conclusions
 clear indication of the used sources of information;
 clarity of reasoning and validity of conclusions
 convincing writing style and artistic qualities of the text, or any other piece
 the ability to present the controversy of the story and the events in dynamics (past and
present) - in combination with a view of the future development of the situation and the
perception of the details of history over the passing time (how would you like this event be
replicated in future).
 the ability to put your own history and specific details in a broad context of international
assessment and perception of the conflict