HUMANITIES

HISTORY IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

History is happening right now. If ever we were required to be reminded that History is an essential subject, we need only reflect on the events of the past twelve months. It seems incredible that this time last year that bushfires were devastating property and lives. And if COVID wasn’t sufficient cause for anxiety, we had the growing tension surrounding the American presidential election. So in one year, we have experienced a climate crisis, a health crisis and a political crisis. 

While we might breathe a sigh of relief that we, in Australia at least, have largely weathered these storms, none of these crises are due to go away. If we do not give serious thought to sustainable living, then life in the future could well be unbearable. And if we are beginning to get on top of the coronavirus, how prepared are we for a more deadly infection in the future? Meanwhile in the US, gaping wounds were revealed in the body politic through the electoral process. If people from both sides of the political divide do not start talking to one another rationally, we can expect more violence and the rise of anti-democratic ideologies. 

This is where the study of History becomes essential to our wellbeing. We talk often of learning the lessons of History. As Winston Churchill said “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” In 2021 and into the future, we have the opportunity to change things for the better before it’s too late. The study of History provides us the opportunity to park partisanship at the classroom door and really listen to one another. We’re all in this together.

Simon Hughes

Head of Humanities