The Challenge of History: The Power of History and Those Who Abuse it

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Brought to you by Odyssey

March 28, 2022 - May 2, 2022
Mondays, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET

History has the power to shape our perceptions of reality, our lives, and our world. But that power is often misused or abused. "The Challenge of History," is designed for students to learn the tools historians use to recreate the past with accuracy so they can critically challenge myths and falsehoods, including Abraham Lincoln’s wrestling career, the 1938 War of the Worlds “Hoax,” and the darkest end of this spectrum – Holocaust Denial. Students will leave invigorated and prepared to separate fact from fiction when learning about the past.

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Current and retired full-time Johns Hopkins faculty and staff, as well as their spouses or domestic partners, are eligible for tuition remission. Eligibility details can be found here.

After registration, tuition remission eligibility will be confirmed by the Odyssey registrar. If eligibility cannot be confirmed, you will be required to pay full tuition for the course. Under the terms of the University’s remission program, Hopkins employees must withdraw in writing at least five working days before the first class to receive a 100% refund. No partial refunds are given to JHU employees and affiliates. All other participants should review the JHAA Event

Session 1 March 28, 2022 - March 28, 2022   06:00:00 PM - 08:00:00 PM

Introduction, Why History Matters, The Case of “Choke Slam” Lincoln, Wrestling Champ

Session Two April 4, 2022 - April 4, 2022   06:00:00 PM - 08:00:00 PM

Debunking Myths Big and Small, The War of the Worlds “Panic” of 1938

Session 3 April 11, 2022 - April 11, 2022   06:00:00 PM - 08:00:00 PM

History as Advertising, The Use of History by Pop Intellectuals

Session Four April 18, 2022 - April 18, 2022   06:00:00 PM - 08:00:00 PM

Historians Gone Bad. Plagiarism and Invention in Academic and Pop History

Session Five April 25, 2022 - April 25, 2022   06:00:00 PM - 08:00:00 PM

Assassins of History, Holocaust Denial and its Distortions

Session Six  May 2, 2022 - May 2, 2022   06:00:00 PM - 08:00:00 PM

Conclusion: History Gone Wild in the Present

ABOUT Jason Ridler
Historian | Learning and Development Expert | Teaching Fellow

Historian, Jay Ridler, traded in the glory of punk rock obscurity and cemetery grounds keeping for a doctorate in 2009. He now teaches classes on war and historical thinking for Johns Hopkins University and has been the creative writing teacher for the Google Arts: Theater program since 2017. He also writes and publishes novels, short stories, and even essays on pro wrestling – which is why New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Reynolds calls Jay “the Swiss Army knife of teaching, writing, and history.” Check out his website for details on classes, storytelling workshops for business and the tech industry, and private coaching.

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 Event Date
Starts:
Monday, March 28, 2022
6:00pm EDT

Ends:
Monday, May 2, 2022

 Contact
Odyssey
1-800-JHU-JHU1 (548-5481)
odyssey@jhu.edu

Status message

Thank you for your interest in Odyssey. This course is now closed. For questions, please contact odyssey@jhu.edu or revisit the website and try something new!