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From: Brian Hosmer, University of Wyoming
List Editor: Mel Page <pagem@MTB.und.ac.za>
Editor's Subject: Africa Forum: Heritage & History: Reply
Author's Subject: Africa Forum: Heritage & History: Reply
Date Written: Thu, 12 Nov 1998
Date Posted: Sat, 13 Nov 1998 15:15:38 -0500

        <Hosmer@UWYO.EDU>

I'm not certain that this decline in history's standing within
academe, or in the general society, is limited to South Africa.
I certainly see it taking place in the US, and at my university
where declining enrollment for history classes is considered as
evidence that history does not really matter any more.  While
our "market based approach" for assessing relative value to
academic departments is a bit different than the situation other
correspondents have described, I do see it as a more general
trend, one which essentially argues that studying history really
does not address society's basic needs.

It is true as well that US historians have been rather
acquiescent in the devaluing of our profession.

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