Conspiracy Theories (2 Viewers)

[INXS]

I'm thinking of doing a conspiracy theorie. EG

- 9/11
- Moon landing

and so on.

Is this a good idea? I'll be checking these with my teacher tomorrow too. I'm still trying to work out my topic.

Thank you.

 

[nwatts]

I don't really think it's a great idea to concentrate on a conspiracy theory, purely because they're so overdone. After Michael Moore's doco the entire world knows how suss the treatmeant of 9/11 was, and the moon landing debate is tried and tired. If you can find something reasonably original, that still has significant (if, esoteric) debate surrounding it, then go for it. But you've got to realise your histx teacher/marker will have read hundreds of essays on the popular conspiracy theories. You've got to make your essay stand out from the pack. Choosing something original is the first step.

I did a very overdone topic for my histx major (the pre-political life of che guevara) and my marks reflected such. It's not that I wrote a bad essay, it's that my issue had been looked at before - and no matter how much extra debate/digression I added, it was still an essay about che guevara and marxism - something done a million times over.

Pick something original. It'll get you the marks.

 

[INXS]

Yes i talked to my teacher today about it. I've reconsidered. and thought up a new idea. How about the princess Diana conspiracy theory?

 

[fleepbasding]

Yes i talked to my teacher today about it. I've reconsidered. and thought up a new idea. How about the princess Diana conspiracy theory?

Sorry, but no, that is still very common. And you have the problem there of most of your sources not being strictly historical but more media (newspaper articles etc.). If you are going to go for a conspiracy theory, go for an obscure one that your people won't have any preconceived notions about (or else they'll groan). Also, make sure it is one whereby historians are putting forward "conspiracy theories", and not just internet crackpots.


Then again, if your teacher really likes one of your ideas, then go for it. I say this because the project is marked internally (probably by your teacher), and by doing what she wants you might maximise your marks. This is a pragmatic approach however, and not one which I'd whole-heartedly recomend.

 

[INXS]

After futher discussion with my class teacher, I've decided to drop the "terrorism/princess" ideas.

I'm now thinking of doing appeasement instead. My teacher is happy for me to do appeasement, aslong as my questions are different to the ones in the syllabus.

Our case study is JFK.

So what do you think about appeasement?

Cheers

 

[fleepbasding]

hmmm... the very fact that it is one of the sylabus topics makes a me a little weary. And a popular option too. What angle could you take on it (that hasn't alerady been examined by the case study)?

Then again, your teacher said it's OK, so if you want to, then go for it. First of all, I'd be doing a lot of preliminary research right now just to ascertain that their are different and interesting things you can do about appeasement. If there isn't, be prepared to abandon it.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

The most credible conspiracy theory that I know of is the one that ties in president johnson to JFK's death - and the marilyn monroe anal death. The 9/11 one is a joke, the moan landing.... my god are you kidding me?

 

[xeuyrawp]

The most credible conspiracy theory that I know of is the one that ties in president johnson to JFK's death - and the marilyn monroe anal death. The 9/11 one is a joke, the moan landing.... my god are you kidding me?

I find it interesting that you think that only a 'credible' theory is worth discussing in relation to historiography. The course really has little caring for historicity, unless it's in your historiographical question.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Oh I didn't do history sorry :/

 

[fleepbasding]

hmmm, I still think NTB has a point.

 

[INXS]

Yeah i'm still out of ideas as to what i should do. I could do appeasement but I have to make sure i dont overlap with any of the sylabus questions.

Any sugeestions as to what i could do?? I really need to work out what im going to do by this weekend.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I've got a good one. Hows bout Holocaust deniers?

 

[xeuyrawp]

hmmm, I still think NTB has a point.

No he doesn't.

I read an essay that was using the lunar landing as an example of revisionism within the simple empirical approach to history. It did very well, and rightly so.

I've got a good one. Hows bout Holocaust deniers?

Can you either be constructive, or just not post? The point has been made long before this thread was bumped.

 

[fleepbasding]

No he doesn't.

I read an essay that was using the lunar landing as an example of revisionism within the simple empirical approach to history. It did very well, and rightly so.



Can you either be constructive, or just not post? The point has been made long before this thread was bumped.

Well yes, like they say- it is all about how you dress it up in this course. Call me a traditionalist, but I think something a little more substantial and historical is more befiting to the course and the intention behind its creation. However, I don't deny that a damn good essay COULD be made out of conspiracy theories.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Well yes, like they say- it is all about how you dress it up in this course. Call me a traditionalist, but I think something a little more substantial and historical is more befiting to the course and the intention behind its creation. However, I don't deny that a damn good essay COULD be made out of conspiracy theories.

I was wrong, I can see how a conspiracy theory could be useful for historical study.

 

[fleepbasding]

*awaits damning and irrefutable response from pwar!*

 

[xeuyrawp]

Well yes, like they say- it is all about how you dress it up in this course. Call me a traditionalist, but I think something a little more substantial and historical is more befiting to the course and the intention behind its creation. However, I don't deny that a damn good essay COULD be made out of conspiracy theories.

It doesn't matter. I've said this so many times to probably all my students: It doesn't matter if you're learning something that is actually proper, useful, or correct. It matters if you get the marks.

The HSC is a waste of time if you want to increase your academic or practical knowledge -- it is a time for students to figure out how they can 'jump through the hoops' and get the marks.

Extension history is not a method which I think is condusive to proper historical enquiry. Who cares about 'proper', when it's the HSC?

I was wrong, I can see how a conspiracy theory could be useful for historical study.

Firstly, it can. Understanding how conspiracy theory X operates is exactly the same as understanding how any other historical event operates. There is no difference to saying 'Why do people think that the pyramids were built by aliens?' than 'Why were the pyramids actually built?' The first being a historiographical question, the second being a more traditional historical/historicital one.

Secondly, and most importantly, 'historical study' has nothing to do with the HSC history course. I'm not sure about everyone else, but my main goal was to ace the HSC so I could move onto real historical studies -- which I can now do. Yes, we could be all idyllic and say 'well, it's a great opportunity to learn', but the practicality is that the opportunity is better elsewhere; at uni and in real life.

 

[fleepbasding]

Well I guess in your pragmatic outlook, anything goes! (jokes!)

yeah, I get ya. I did the same thing of course.

But in the name of sound advice to the OP: only do conspiracy theories if you are smart and your teacher likes the idea. This is purely from a marks perspective.

EDIT: I guess you could say, we align with the "Marksist" school of historical thought... hehe.

 

[hopeles5ly]

Yeah i'm still out of ideas as to what i should do. I could do appeasement but I have to make sure i dont overlap with any of the sylabus questions.

Any sugeestions as to what i could do?? I really need to work out what im going to do by this weekend.

Different interpretations of the role of Hitler !

 

[veridis]

oh cmon pwar while yes marks are the primary concern you cant claim that the histx format prevents all "proper" historical enquiry from being worthwhile. sure you can write a good essay on just about anything if you analyse the historiographical elements properly but it would be much mroe fulfilling and ultimately useful if you approached these issues from an angle that did involve some good historical grounding and that is good history. you can tear apart crap methodologies all you want to prove revisionism and bias and a million other things that are wrong with a source but the project becomes a lot more useful long term when you find a topic that actualy has some high quality sources that force you to think further about just what your views about methodologies are. its much harder to analyse good sources and i think teachers appreciate this and give marks accordingly.

so yes INXS you can do whaever topic you want and from whatever approach you want and still come across all the key historiographical issues but IMO it is much easier to write a quality essay on a topic that has numerous ligitimate approaches and views rather than simple taking apart obviously false ones. for example i did the role of the longbow at the battle of agincourt, it involved a lot of research on topic for background knowledge and let me analyse sources both primary in the form of chroniclers and popular reporting, and secondary as both scholarly texts from empirical, revisionist, and structuralist viewpoints as well as a popular myth. but getting a range of sources for whatever topic you do you'll be able to form a more well rounded argument and gain more peronally from your essay. as such i advise you pick whatever in history interests you most and make it a good topic not pick a good topic and try to make yourself interested