Professional Occupation of a Historian

Historian in Profession

While a historian includes both amateurs and professionals, usually the professionals are better known as historians. Recent trend is to acknowledge those who have acquired at least a bachelor’s degree in the field of history and documents of the events of the past. Having such degrees is not a difficult task. Apart from multiple colleges and universities, a host of online institutes are now offering online degrees on history. Since the later part of the 19 th century “historian” has been recognized as one of the professional occupations.

Historian’s Job

Major task of a historian is to make historical analysis through the process of investigation and comparing the conflicting ideologies. Such method helps the historian in creating coherent narratives of the happenings of the near and far past. Today the historical analysis is usually drawn upon multiple other social sciences. Such sciences could be sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, politics, linguistics, and economics to mention a few. Even the works of ancient historians’ carries immense value though may not be coherent with the modern day ideologies. Job prospects of historians are also available in college directory provided by informative websites.

Contribution of Modern Historians to Society

It is true that works of many ancient historians carry immense educative value and they have surpassed their time. Such works are also valuable with reference to the particular culture of a country or society. Many earlier historical accounts find dismissed with the new generation historians though they may be valuable in consideration of their contemporary culture.

Modern Day Historian

While the early history was highly tilted towards great men; no such thing preoccupies the minds of modern historian. Present day historian is a complete departure from the war, high politics and diplomacy based history writing of the past.

Features of Modern Historian

Since 1960s history has been continuing as one of the academic disciplines that have experienced numerous evolutions. Topics that were underestimated in the past, suddenly revived to become the highlight in many fronts. Revisionist historians at the same time are attempting to set the records as straight as possible.

For people who think that a historian is only concerned with academic affairs would find the highly educative and qualitative writings of Michael Russell who writes regularly on this website eye openers for them. The site also provides information on obtaining online degrees in the subject.