Observatory for the History of Education (2019 – 2024)

Convenors: Thérèse Hamel (Canada), Lajos Somogyvári (Hungary), Marisa Bittar (Brazil)

Observatory for the History of Education SWG – Annual Report 2023
Observatory for the History of Education SWG – Annual Report 2022
Observatory for the History of Education SWG – Annual Report 2021
Observatory for the History of Education SWG – Annual Report 2019

Description and main objectives: The Standing Working Group “Observatory for the History of Education” is inspired by the idea of regarding ISCHE as a “site” from which an international community of historians is able to “observe” the scope of its work by seeking to obtain a more wide-ranging and in-depth knowledge. Since 2014, most of us have been involved with SWG “Mapping the History of Education”, which is devoted to “mapping” the trends of publications in academic reviews and the research outputs of doctoral theses, as well as discussing the question of “where” the History of Education should be institutionally located.

As the successors of “Mapping the HE”, which is being terminated in the 2019 Conference, our underlying objective is to strengthen the collaboration between researchers in every continent. The purpose of this is to give continuity to these studies in the belief that the History of Education as a specialist field, is of value to the whole community of ISCHE, regardless of what research area each of us is involved in. As well as studies of journals and the academic output of theses, we wish to draw particular attention to the teaching of the History of Education in teacher-training courses. What syllabus should be designed for its Curriculum ? To what extent can the internationalization of research be found in the teaching of the History of Education and in which countries? How far is there a dialectical exchange between national and international teaching standards in the History of Education?

The need for this inquiry can be explained by the fact that in empirical terms, we have noted a reduction in the workload that the discipline has experienced in several parts of the world, which has been a cause of concern for its role in teacher-training. Thus, in light of the growing complexity and internationalization of higher education, it seems to us that it is worth investigating to what extent this trend has led to the strengthening of the History of Education and the question of its permanence and degree of exposure in the Curriculum. In addition, we also intend to reflect on what forms the boundaries of the History of Education and its links with other areas of Education and the Human Sciences, at a time when the design of the humanities is being reshaped within universities. The community of ISCHE historians is provided with the necessary means to carry out studies of this nature, since the theoretical input and appropriate methodology of the “Clio workshop” are available, as well as the benchmarks for the assessment of Education and the Social Sciences.

For additional information and to become involved, please contact the convenors: Therese Hamel (Canada), Lajos Somogyvári (Hungary), Marisa Bittar (Brazil)