Centering Narrative Cohesion in High School Global History Courses

This paper explores issues surrounding the chronological and thematic scope of historical survey courses at the high school level. In practice, some such courses are far more cohesive than their counterparts. The paper examines the constitutive principles of narrative cohesion in the study of history at the high school level by analyzing textbooks such as Ways of the World and The Origins of the Modern World.

Admittedly, there are ample differences among educators in terms of what constitutes an appropriate narrative arc in the study of history. Educators often find themselves unable to reach a consensus on what that narrative should be, sometimes opting instead to piece together their own content for classroom delivery. However, this approach is misguided because it reduces history to a collection of historical facts, whereas the discipline of history encompasses far more than simply an abstract constellation of details.

By integrating texts with history courses such as a world history survey course targeting 9th graders, this paper argues that teaching these histories through the framework of a broader historical narrative is necessary to weave cohesion into the courses, even if aspects of the narrative are deemed worthy of critique. Through such an approach, students will be able to grasp a dynamic understanding of the past and become critical consumers and producers of knowledge and ideas, historical or otherwise, as they fine-tune their academic skills. Specifically, having a narrative at the ready frees up history teachers to focus on writing skills, which are central to history instruction at the high school level.