3-1 Discussion: Historical Lenses

n this discussion, you will consider how historical lenses can affect the study of a historical topic. Select one of the secondary source articles from your research. After reading that article, write a discussion post about which of the following lenses you believe the article is using: social, political, economic, or other. Use at least two quotes from your source to justify your choice of lens. Your post title should also indicate which topic you have selected. When responding to your peers, compare and contrast the lens they identified with the lens you identified for your source. If you identified the same lens, how does the evidence you each found to justify that choice compare with each other? If you selected different lenses, discuss how your historical topic might look through the lens they identified I mentioned this in my video explanation but thought I would also put it into writing. To receive full credit for your essay, you need to accomplish several things in your essay. (Of course, I am talking here about what you write. I am assuming you have read the article and analyzed it completely.) To me, this essay should be structured into three distinct paragraphs: First, begin your essay by introducing the article you have chosen to read. Tell us the basic bibliographical information about the article — who wrote it? what are the qualifications of the author? when was it written? where was it published? what is its overall thesis? what is the historical argument being advanced in the article? This should be your first paragraph. Secondly, discuss the concept of “LENSES” as explained in our readings. This should be your second paragraph. Answer these questions: “What is a lens and why it is important to look for the lens used in the article you read?” “What lens does the author use in the article you have chosen?” “What are the characteristics of this lens?” “What perspective does this lens use when analyzing historical events?” “What are the kinds of questions this lens will seek to answer when analyzing history?” Thirdly, defend your choice of “lens” for the article you have chosen. This is where the required specific references to the article itself should be found. How does the article manifest that it is using the lens you have chosen? Where do you see signs that this lens is being used? Etc. This is the third paragraph of your essay. Finally, don’t forget your in-text citations and your works referenced section at the end of the essay you submit. Hope this helps! And please let me know if you have any questions.