Is history subject losing its importance? (1)

Is history subject losing its importance? (1)

Economic conditions and loss of interest in History subject: As the global economic conditions becoming weaker, skilled employment decreases, unemployment increases, cost of living increases etc., the takers of arts subjects, particularly, history has been coming down[1]. The USA gives facts and figures to show that the subject history is losing place in the job-market[2] in their country. In India, it is not known whether such figures are available, but, when the History departments of Tamilnadu are visited, at many places, the total number of faculty and staff has been much more that the number of students. Ironically, in some universities, less than 10 students are there. However, whoever joins history BA or MA wants employment and thus appears for qualifying examinations (NET, SET etc). When the conditions of American students have been shifting in this way in conjunction with economic factors, naturally, Indians have to be careful in choosing their subjects at graduation and post graduation levels carefully considering the prevailing Indian conditions.

The condition of history in USA: According to Benjamin Schmidt of Northeastern University, the number of bachelor’s degrees granted in history declined from 34,642 in 2008 to 24,266 in 2017 even as other majors, such as computer science and engineering, have seen rising enrollments[3]. Today, fewer than 2 per cent of male undergraduates and fewer / less than 1 per cent of females major in history, compared with more than 6 per cent and nearly 5 per cent, respectively, in the late 1960s[4]. Interestingly, this data and details have been picked up by others and emphasized the issues. History departments are cutting courses and curtailing hires because of falling enrollments[5]. The University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point may even abolish its entire history department[6]. History education in schools is so poor that students often enter college ignorant of the past — and leave just as unenlightened. It is evident that the American statistics for Arts versus science or professional subjects versus humanities etc., clearly point to the trend of humanities, arts or particularly history losing its ground. The same issue has been analyzed by several others and recorded their anxious opinion[7].  It is clear that even American students opt for courses that give job assurance[8].

History of humanity lives with man forever[9]: In the western context, analyzing the problems of history, several reasons are identified – generalization, conspiracy theories, myths and mythology, nationalism, nostalgia, the noble savage, euro-centrism, top-down/bottom-top, the militarization of history etc. more factors can also be added, as long as bias, prejudice and concoction work in the minds of authorities, rulers, dominating powers at different capacities. In fact, such autocratic powers might have destroyed many civilizations, archaeological evidences, and historical documents, … Yet, new evidences, proof, data, and information would come up and slowly unravel and expose the facts. The human history recorded in the historical consciousness cannot be erased. As long as man continues to be born again and again, such consciousness recorded in the sound, waves and cosmos vibrates, reverberates and reaches every other human being, one day or the other. The song coming through the air, the vibrations coming through waves and the signals emanating from the cosmos live forever. Such history, historiography, historiosophy, historio-psychology, psychic-history……may not be understood by all.

In India, history versus engineering: Incidentally, I find this observation made by John Mathew, “History is of course among them, with an equal emphasis on both global and local (as in subcontinental) angles. The history of science gets some airtime because of a persuasive case made by the Divisional Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences (himself a historian) for the inclusion of climate change as a key and necessary component of the larger curriculum for history, and likewise the related if contested provisional geological epoch, the Anthropocene. However, for a major in which there are six associated instructors, the number of students opting to read history as a degree has proven to be zero, with four students considering it for a minor. History has now been linked with politics (another subject with relatively few takers) to form a joint major, so that with the benefit of combined numbers, both subjects might, so to speak, make, if with some level of compromise,” in which the Indian condition is also brought out in the context[10]. The figures given for “history” is alarming, in the context of Krea University [11]. Of course, counter-argument is also put forward that many engineering graduates are not getting jobs or they are working for Rs 8,000/- or so or even doing menial work like working in hotels and restaurants and so on. Recently, Y. Subbarayalu made such a statement in the South Indian History Congress.

India has to deal with people more than 100, 12, 130 crores people in all aspects: Many people – of various disciplines make comments or write stories that Singapore could achieve, but Indian cannot achieve and so on, without understanding and analyzing all other factors. Singapore has just 60 lakhs population and it cannot be compared even with any village of India. So also Hong Kong has 70 lakhs population.  With some statistical figures, India is blamed for all evils, corruption, crimes and all other negative factors, but, such negative-propagandists do not understand as to how India continues to withstand, live and proceed in the annals of history even today. In other words, the random statistics cannot reflect the 100 to 130 crores people. Indian conditions have been different, as many chasing for few, whether job, ration, train, bus or anything and even reservation / quota.  The condition of 130 crores, where all groups have also been in crores and thus, the demand is unimaginable. Thus, in historical studies, illogical comparisons cannot be made. Even for the jobs of blind / visually impaired, physically challenged and so on, for one post, 50 to 100 are applying, implying that 49 to 99 would not get the job. The same trend continues for others. Therefore, history versus other subjects would be a tough competition in the job-market.

History professors and teachers work for the unity and integrity of the nation: Any subject in the educational and academic curriculum should not only be useful the individual who studies, but also for the study. By studying, mastering or getting expertise in one subject, one cannot misuse or exploit it for profit making violating the acts and rules of the land or indulging in anti-social activities. By studying history, politics or sociology; anthropology, archaeology or numismatics, one should work for the unity and integrity of the nation and not for dividing them based on propagandist methods. Even after becoming a history professor, emeritus professor or any status, one cannot support or oppose one particular ideology, philosophy, party, group etc., as it would lead to separatism only. When the employment is the criterion, they should work in that angle, instead of creating unrest, agitation, unrest, riot and other such activities instigating students, students union and groups. They can visualize and plan for job opportunities for the final year students either for going to higher studies or taking a job immediately. Civil Services, Combined Graduation, Bank and other exams give good opportunities for humanities and arts subjects. They should refer to “Employment News,” UPSC, SSC websites regularly and prepare for them.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

03-09-2022

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[1] Since the economic crisis of 2008, the pattern of undergraduate majors has been shifting across American higher education. Of all the major disciplines, history has seen the steepest declines in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded. 

Benjamin M. Schmidt, The History BA since the great recession, The 2018 AHA Majors Report, Nov 26, 2018.

[2] In 2008, the National Center for Education Statistics reported 34,642 majors in history; in 2017, the most recent year for which data are available, the number was 24,266. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of history majors fell by over 1,500. Even as university enrollments have grown, history has seen its raw numbers erode heavily. The drops have been especially heavy since 2011–12, the first years for which students who saw the financial crisis in action could easily change their majors.

https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/december-2018/the-history-ba-since-the-great-recession-the-2018-aha-majors-report

[3] Colleen Flaherty,  The Vanishing History Major- New analysis of history-major data says the field has fallen to “new low.” Can it be saved?, November 27, 2018.

[4] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/11/27/new-analysis-history-major-data-says-field-new-low-can-it-be-saved

[5] Benjamin M. Schmidt The Death of the History Major, American Historical Association November 30, 2018.

[6]https://www.realcleareducation.com/2018/11/30/the_death_of_the_history_major_46527.html

[7] Parker Schorr, Crumbling foundations: Declining enrollment numbers loom over under-funded humanities departments, Apr 2, 2019.

[8] https://badgerherald.com/features/2019/04/02/crumbling-foundations-declining-enrollment-numbers-loom-over-under-funded-humanities-departments-causing-concern-of-yet-another-crisis/

[9] These are my own views understood with experience during the course of more than 50 years meeting many personalities and discussing with them. And sucg dialogue continues even today.

[10] John Mathew, Krea University, Its Interwoven Model and the Implications for the Study of History, February 15, 2021 | Reflections

[11] https://www.4sonline.org/krea-university-india/