Practically-oriented approach
David from Ghana and Samrat from India first met at HSE in St. Petersburg, where both are doing their Master studies in Applied and Interdisciplinary History. HSE student Julia Nikolaenko interviewed David and Samrat about their academic background and research, reasons for choosing HSE for master studies and of course about their life in Russia.
About academic background and reasons for choosing HSE St. Petersburg
David: I loved history before I started school because my father trained me at home to become much aware of events in the past. I became more interested in the subject ‘history’ at the High School (Tepa Senior High) when I realized the training my father gave me at home on history had started coming to live through my studies. Such interests influenced my choice to read history at the undergraduate level in one of most prestigious Departments of History in Ghana at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. I was here prepared and enlightened on the gradual shift of the subject from ‘about spinning of narratives and telling stories’ to unearthing problems, solving them and educating.
I therefore had a passion to continue my studies in history and Applied and Interdisciplinary History in HSE has been the best ground of which this my dream could be realized.
Samrat: To give a basic background of my educational expertise I would like to start with my schooling. I went to St. Augustine’s Day School in Kolkata and pursued humanities in my 12th standard. I was the only student in my batch who took up humanities. After clearing my boards, I cracked the entrance exam for History Honors in one of the most reputed and oldest institution of India i.e. Presidency University (established in 1817). Presidency University has always been on the forefront of academic excellence. Notable alumni includes names like Amartya Sen (Noble prize winner in the field of economics/ also honorary professor by HSE), Gayatri Chakraborty Spivak, Satyajit Ray( Oscar winner), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekananda, Rajendra Prasad( India’s first president) and many more. It was a matter of honor and privilege to be a part of such a legacy. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in history and proceeded to apply for this master’s programme as it offered a practical approach in the field of history. To top it Saint Petersburg being one of the iconic and cultural capital of Russia is a perfect place to study history.
About research activities
David: As the name of the programme implies, it focuses on ‘almost everything’ form history to anthropology, science and technology, environment and culture and many other sub disciplines with the intent of making the past ‘Usable’. This makes students of the programme get trained in many forms of research methodologies. Practical lessons on museums and technology has been given students of the program and there are more to be unfolded.
Samrat: During my stay in Presidency, I explored arenas of south East Asian history and modern history. I developed two project one which focused on the Nanking Massacre and the other tried to explore the mythical realms of El Dorado. As of now, I am currently involved in the volunteer service of the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and working on a research for an exhibition in the Peterhof Museum Complex.
Who is an indeal student of this degree programme?
David: The programme does not only target students of history but largely, all students within the social sciences and even natural sciences and engineering due to its interdisciplinary nature.
Samrat: The masters programme offers an in depth analysis in methods employed by historians. Textual criticism, memory narrative, critically analyzing sources, heritage management/conservation and archelogy form the integral part of the course. We also try to bridge the gap between the various other fields of technology, sociology, anthropology and biology. Students are encouraged to identify visual artifacts (paintings, sculptures etc.). We are also looking into the field of digital humanities and how it can be beneficial for the academic community. This course is highly suitable for individuals who are interested in the practical side of history and who wants to explore the other possible opportunities of humanities. Armed with compulsory internship the course provides fieldwork to compliment the academic discussions held in the classroom.
About career and academic pathways after this programme
David: ‘Usable Pasts’, as the programme is called (in short) tends to make the past usable by training the student firstly to fit well in the corporate world; to effectively work with research institutes, government and private agencies, museums, educational institutes and above all, to train the student well for further studies (PhD).
Samrat: I look forward in exploring the labor market in museum curatorship and archeological departments. Having said that I am also thinking about the possibility of a PhD thesis and pursuing the same to strengthen my academic credentials.
Science for pleasure
About your choose and previous education
David: I loved history before I started school because my father trained me at home to become much aware of events in the past. I became more interested in the subject ‘history’ at the High School (Tepa Senior High) when I realized the training my father gave me at home on history had started coming to live through my studies. Such interests influenced my choice to read history at the undergraduate level in one of most prestigious Departments of History in Ghana at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. I was here prepared and enlightened on the gradual shift of the subject from ‘about spinning of narratives and telling stories’ to unearthing problems, solving them and educating.
I therefore had a passion to continue my studies in history and Applied and Interdisciplinary History in HSE has been the best ground of which this my dream could be realized.
Samrat: To give a basic background of my educational expertise I would like to start with my schooling. I went to St. Augustine’s Day School in Kolkata and pursued humanities in my 12th standard. I was the only student in my batch who took up humanities. After clearing my boards, I cracked the entrance exam for History Honors in one of the most reputed and oldest institution of India i.e. Presidency University (established in 1817). Presidency University has always been on the forefront of academic excellence. Notable alumni includes names like Amartya Sen (Noble prize winner in the field of economics/ also honorary professor by HSE), Gayatri Chakraborty Spivak, Satyajit Ray( Oscar winner), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekananda, Rajendra Prasad( India’s first president) and many more. It was a matter of honor and privilege to be a part of such a legacy. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in history and proceeded to apply for this master’s programme as it offered a practical approach in the field of history. To top it Saint Petersburg being one of the iconic and cultural capital of Russia is a perfect place to study history.
About research activities
David: As the name of the programme implies, it focuses on ‘almost everything’ form history to anthropology, science and technology, environment and culture and many other sub disciplines with the intent of making the past ‘Usable’. This makes students of the programme get trained in many forms of research methodologies. Practical lessons on museums and technology has been given students of the program and there are more to be unfolded.
Samrat: During my stay in Presidency, I explored arenas of south East Asian history and modern history. I developed two project one which focused on the Nanking Massacre and the other tried to explore the mythical realms of El Dorado. As of now, I am currently involved in the volunteer service of the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and working on a research for an exhibition in the Peterhof Museum Complex.
Who would be interested in the program?
David: The programme does not only target students of history but largely, all students within the social sciences and even natural sciences and engineering due to its interdisciplinary nature.
Samrat: The masters programme offers an in depth analysis in methods employed by historians. Textual criticism, memory narrative, critically analyzing sources, heritage management/conservation and archelogy form the integral part of the course. We also try to bridge the gap between the various other fields of technology, sociology, anthropology and biology. Students are encouraged to identify visual artifacts (paintings, sculptures etc.). We are also looking into the field of digital humanities and how it can be beneficial for the academic community. This course is highly suitable for individuals who are interested in the practical side of history and who wants to explore the other possible opportunities of humanities. Armed with compulsory internship the course provides fieldwork to compliment the academic discussions held in the classroom.
About the prospects and career direction
David: ‘Usable Pasts’, as the programme is called (in short) tends to make the past usable by training the student firstly to fit well in the corporate world; to effectively work with research institutes, government and private agencies, museums, educational institutes and above all, to train the student well for further studies (PhD).
Samrat: I look forward in exploring the labor market in museum curatorship and archeological departments. Having said that I am also thinking about the possibility of a PhD thesis and pursuing the same to strengthen my academic credentials.
About science for fun
David: All the enjoyment a student need while studying is blended with Applied and Interdisciplinary History. Practical lessons in visits to museum sites and other interesting places makes one enjoy nature while studying. In such endeavors, students analyze the continuities and changes in trends of science and technology as well as other disciplines and how they have shaped our history while exploring with fun.