Historian

A Historian is a scholar who studies and interprets past events, societies, and cultures. They analyze historical documents, artifacts, and other sources to understand and reconstruct the past. Historians work in various fields, including academic research, teaching, museums, archives, and historical consultancy, providing insights that help contextualize present-day issues and inform future decisions.

Historian’s duties typically include, but are not limited to:

• Research: Conduct detailed research by examining primary and secondary sources, such as archives, manuscripts, artifacts, and recorded interviews.
• Analysis: Analyze historical data to interpret events, trends, and patterns within historical contexts.
• Writing and Publication: Write scholarly articles, books, and reports to present research findings and historical narratives.
• Teaching: Educate students at various academic levels about historical events, methods of historical inquiry, and critical analysis.
• Public Engagement: Give public lectures, participate in discussions, and provide expert opinions on historical matters.
• Exhibit Design: Collaborate with museums and cultural institutions to design exhibits and educational programs based on historical research.
• Consultancy: Provide expertise to organizations, governments, and media on historical accuracy for documentaries, publications, and other projects.
• Archival Management: Organize and manage historical archives, ensuring the preservation and accessibility of important documents and artifacts.
• Grant Writing: Apply for grants and funding to support historical research projects and initiatives.

The following job titles also refer to historian:

diplomatic historian
historians
economic historian
egyptologist
military historian
political historian
art historian

Historians typically work in academic settings, museums, archives, or research institutions. Their work involves extensive reading, writing, and analysis, often requiring long periods of solitary work. When conducting fieldwork, historians may travel to various locations, including historical sites, libraries, and archives. They may also participate in conferences and public events, requiring good communication and presentation skills. The work can be intellectually demanding and may involve meticulous attention to detail and a deep commitment to preserving historical integrity.

To become a Historian, the following educational background and experience are typically required:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in history or a related field is essential. Advanced degrees, such as a master’s or doctorate (Ph.D.) in history, are often required for higher-level research and academic positions.
• Specialization: Historians often specialize in a specific area, such as a particular time period, geographical region, or thematic focus (e.g., social history, military history, economic history).
• Research Skills: Strong research skills are critical, including proficiency in locating, analyzing, and interpreting historical documents and artifacts.
• Experience: Prior experience in research, teaching, or working in archives and museums is highly beneficial. Internships, volunteer work, and assistantships can provide valuable hands-on experience.
• Skills: Excellent writing and communication skills, critical thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to synthesize complex information are essential. Familiarity with research tools, databases, and historical methodologies is also important.

Ongoing professional development and staying engaged with current historical research and debates are crucial for success in this field. Membership in professional organizations, such as the American Historical Association (AHA) or the Organization of American Historians (OAH), provides access to resources, networking opportunities, and continued education.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Historian is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to historian.

anthropologist
archaeologist
philosopher
religion scientific researcher
literary scholar

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of historian.

• History: The discipline that studies, analyses, and presents the events of the past related to humans.
• Source criticism: Process of classifying various informational sources into different categories such as historical and non-historical, or primary and secondary, and evaluating those sources on the basis of their content, material features, authors, etc.
• Historical methods: The methods, techniques, and guidelines that historians follow when researching the past and writing history, such as the use of primary sources.
• Periodisation: The categorisation of the past into defined blocks of time, called time periods, in order to make researching history easier.
• Scientific research methodology: The theoretical methodology used in scientific research involving doing background research, constructing a hypothesis, testing it, analysing data and concluding the results.

These skills are necessary for the role of historian.

• Research the past in recorded sources: Analyse recorded sources such as government records, newspapers, biographies, and letters in order to uncover and interpret the past.
• Do historical research: Use scientific methods to research history and culture.
• Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
• Consult information sources: Consult relevant information sources to find inspiration, to educate yourself on certain topics and to acquire background information.
• Apply scientific methods: Apply scientific methods and techniques to investigate phenomena, by acquiring new knowledge or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.
• Write scientific papers: Present the hypothesis, findings, and conclusions of your scientific research in your field of expertise in a professional publication.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of historian. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Conservation techniques: The procedures, instruments, techniques, materials and chemicals used in conservation and archiving.
• Archaeology: The study of the recovery and examination of material culture left behind from human activity in the past.
• Art history: The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.
• Museum databases: The tools and processes involved in working with museum databases.
• Cultural history: Field that combines historical and anthropological approaches for recording and studying past customs, arts, and manners of a group of people taking into account their political, cultural, and social milieu.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of historian. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Search historical sources in archives: Search archives in order to find the sources needed for historical research.
• Compile library lists: Compile exhaustive lists of books, magazines, periodicals, articles, and audio-visual materials on particular subjects.
• Create collection conservation plan: Create a comprehensive, high-level overview conservation plan for the collection.
• Write research proposals: Synthetise and write proposals aiming to solve research problems. Draft the proposal baseline and objectives, the estimated budget, risks and impact. Document the advances and new developments on the relevant subject and field of study.
• Consult iconographic sources: The branch of history that analyses images in order to describe past societies, customs, and cultural movements.
• Assess conservation needs: Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.
• Provide tourism related information: Give customers relevant information about historical and cultural locations and events while conveying this information in an entertaining and informative manner.
• Reconstruct modified documents: Decipher and reconstruct the content of modified or partially destroyed documents.
• Archive documentation related to the work: Select relevant documentation related to the ongoing or complete work and take steps to archive it in a way that ensures its future accessibility.
• Interview people: Interview people in a range of different circumstances.
• Determine authorship of documents: Determine the author of a document by comparing signatures and handwriting through handwriting analysis.
• Teach history: Instruct students in the theory and practice of history and historical research, and more specifically in topics such as history of the Middle Ages, research methods, and source criticism.
• Develop scientific theories: Formulate scientific theories based on empirical observations, gathered data and theories of other scientists.
• Escort visitors to places of interest: Bring tourists to places of interest such as museums, exhibitions, theme parks or art galleries.
• Supervise projects for the conservation of heritage buildings: Supervise protection and restoration projects of cultural heritage. Use own expertise to make sure the project runs smoothly.
• Manage tourist groups: Monitor and guide tourists ensuring positive group dynamics and address areas of conflict and concern where they occur.
• Provide technical expertise: Provide expert knowledge in a particular field, especially concerning mechanical or scientific subjects, to decision makers, engineers, technical staff or journalists.
• Study a collection: Research and trace the origins and the historical significance of collections and archive content.
• Document interviews: Record, write, and capture answers and information collected during interviews for processing and analysis using shorthand or technical equipment.
• Maintain museum records: Keep museum records current and in conformity with museum standards.
• Advise on historical context: Advise on the historical context of a production, including historical facts, and contemporary styles.
• Manage digital archives: Create and maintain computer archives and databases, incorporating latest developments in electronic information storage technology.
• Conduct public presentations: Speak in public and interact with those present. Prepare notices, plans, charts, and other information to support the presentation.

2633 – Philosophers, historians and political scientists

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References

1. Historian – ESCO
2. Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Historian Job Description | Indeed.com
4. Role of a Historian – Chron
5. Featured image: By Royal Sikh Archives – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0