Pragmatic Approach In Public History

The word pragmatic is defined as dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations1. Pragmatism does not equate to acquiescence. Acquiescence implies giving up or accepting the circumstances as being beyond control. Nor does it suggest following the path of least resistance. The definition of pragmatic serves as a sound philosophy for a public historian. The focus is not on ruling out what cannot be accomplished, rather, it is emphasizing what can be done under the circumstances. It is endeavoring to meet the intent, and adjusting methods as needed to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved. A pragmatic approach is ideal for a public historian.
Each and every job a public historian holds has its own unique conditions. Some jobs may be comparable while others are markedly dissimilar. But all public history activities can share common elements. These elements, if accomplished in a reasonable, achievable fashion can set the conditions for success in any public history job. These common elements are serving the needs of the public, educating the public, maintaining accepted …show more content…
This leads to more opportunities to serve and educate the public, while maintaining historical discipline. Collective authorship is when two or more scholars work closely together in the research and development of the product11. Using a wiki page or other web-based interface, it is possible include public contributions to develop the narratives included into the stories produced for the public historical activity. These contributions may be as simple as a digital photograph of an artifact that helps expand the knowledge of the subject12. The same collection management process used for physical artifacts is applied to the acceptance of these digital contributions of the public