HIST 029 PZ -Making Queer History

Institution: Pitzer College

Description: In addition to studying the history of LGBTQ+ people, we will consider how and why such history is produced or silenced. We will look at oral histories, podcasts, and memoirs to analyze why queer history poses unique challenges to academic and community historians. We will also examine why such histories are often absent in traditional sites of historical memory like high school classes or films, and how such absences contribute to the continued inequalities faced by queer people today. We will ask:

Why do LGBTQ+ people have such a strong and unrelenting dedication to archiving and preservation of community history?

What is the role of oral history and biography in telling collective history?

Does it matter who produces queer history and for what reasons? Why or why not?

Who preserves queer history, and how can we contribute to its visibility and accessibility?

While the course acknowledges well-known figures and events, it also challenges students to think critically about less celebrated aspects and figures in history. It questions the mainstream historical narratives, encouraging students to consider the purposes these narratives serve and the contemporary issues they may shape. Ultimately, the course employs a social history lens to explore themes like race, citizenship, class, migration, gender, and sexuality, aiming to provide a nuanced understanding of how these factors have shaped the American body politic over the past century.