Stories We Tell Course Pairing
Encountering the Past: Introduction to U.S. Disability History (HS 100)
Rather than approaching history as a list of dates, names, and historical events, this introductory course instead explores how historians have defined and practiced their craft, approached key themes in their scholarship, and deployed a vast array of evidence in support of historical interpretations. In other words, we will study how historians make their histories. In doing so, we will approach the discipline as a field full of debate and conflict where ideas do battle. Unlike many other disciplines, history has no set canon, nor does it have a narrowly defined set of practices or theoretical approaches. This course sets out to introduce students to some of the methods used by historians, while bearing in mind that historical knowledge changes with time and insight, and it is complex. Along the way, students will develop the skills necessary for understanding and producing histories, which include the critical evaluation of sources and the ability to write cogently and persuasively about events in the past. Finally, this course also asks students to think about why the study of history is important to our lives today. Indeed, our introduction to the discipline of history aims to answer a deceptively simple question: why does history matter? We will engage these topics and questions by exploring the history of disability in the United States. Disability is a fundamental part of human history, yet it has often been overlooked in traditional historical narratives. Through readings, primary sources, and personal narratives, we will examine how disabled people have shaped and been shaped by American society from the pre-colonial period to the present. Key themes include changing medical and legal definitions of disability, slavery, the rise of institutions and special education, the impact of wars and industrialization, immigration policies, the eugenics movement, and the emergence of the disability rights movement.
Faculty biography
Dr. Sara Scalenghe is a historian of the social and cultural history of the early modern and modern Middle East. She holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern and North African History from Georgetown University. Her research interests include disability history and gender history. She has been teaching at Loyola happily since 2009.
The Art of Reading (EN 101)
Cultivates reading, writing, thinking, and oral communication skills by investigating the kinds of attention that literary texts, in multiple genres, ask of readers. The course is writing intensive. Topics reflect the range of faculty expertise and interests and are selected to invite student curiosity.
Faculty biography
Dr. Brett Butler - Bio Coming Soon!
Mentor biography
Emma Gerhold serves in the role of Assistant Men’s and Women’s Cross Country/Women’s Track Coach and works primarily with the Greyhound sprints and hurdles squads. Emma earned a Masters degree in Education with a concentration in higher education administration from Frostburg State University. She enjoys reading, walking, and cooking new recipes.
Virtual Advisor
HS 100 satisfies the History core requirement for all students. EN 101 satisfies the Literature core requirement for all students.
