The role of history in the teaching of social sciences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-795X.2025.e104311Keywords:
Social and controversial issues, Critical thinking, Education for the futureAbstract
The article examines the role of history in the teaching and learning of social sciences. The initial and essential question is why we teach history, which leads us to reflect on the importance of interpreting the past in order to understand the present and look ahead to the future. At this juncture, two major lines of research share common objectives: the development of historical consciousness and Education for the Future. Both focus on foresight and participation. History is essential learning for the democratic education of citizens, and it also plays a fundamental role in proposals for an integrated social sciences curriculum—such as classroom work on social and controversial issues. This is because any social problem or conflict has historical roots, and only by studying the past can we seek solutions or alternatives to present-day problems. Furthermore, historical thinking is a key component in the development of critical thinking, allowing for the independent interpretation of information sources (crucial in our current context) and for making well-reasoned decisions that guide our social action. In conclusion, history provides the foundational knowledge needed for social sciences education to serve as a tool for social transformation.
References
BARTON, Keith C. Investigación sobre las ideas de los estudiantes acerca de la Historia. Enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales: Revista de Investigación, n. 9, p. 97-113, 2010.
BRUSA, Antoni; MUSCI, Elena. La didàctica difícil. Els problemes dels límits de l’ensenyament històric. In: Pagès, Joan; Santisteban, Antoni (coords.). Les qüestions socialment vives i l’ensenyament de les ciències socials. Barcelona: Servei de Publicacions de la UAB, p. 41-52, 2011.
CARTES, Daniela. Las representaciones de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la periodización en contextos de diversidad étnica: la cosmovisión mapuche. Estudio de casos de escuelas de la región de la Araucanía, Chile. Tesis Doctoral. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 2021.
CASTELLVÍ, Jordi. Critical Digital Literacy in Social Studies. Case Studies in Elementary School. Tesis Doctoral. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 2019.
CASTELLVÍ, Jordi; DÍEZ, M. Consuelo; SANTISTEBAN, Antoni. Pre-Service Teachers’ Critical Digital Literacy Skills and Attitudes to Address Social Problems. Social Sciences, 9, 134, 2020. https://doi:10.3390/socsci9080134
CHEVALLARD Yves. Questions vives, savoirs moribonds: le problème curriculaire aujourd’hui. Actes du colloque Défendre et Transformer l’école pour tous, Marseille : 3, 4, 5 octobre, 1997. http://eloge-des-ses.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Chevallard-Questions-vives.pdf
CLARK, Christopher. Sonámbulos. Cómo Europa fue a la guerra en 1914. Barcelona: Galaxia Gutenberg, 2014.
CRUZ, M. (Ed.). Hacia dónde va el pasado. El porvenir de la memoria en el mundo contemporáneo. Barcelona: Paidós, 2002.
CUBILLOS, Froilán. Conocimiento Territorial Ancestral de las Comunidades Mapuce Bafkehce del Aija Rewe Fvzv Bewfv Mapu Mew. Atlas Didáctico Bilingüe para la Enseñanza del Territorio Mapuce Bafkehce del Lago Budi. Director: Joan Pagès. 2016. Tesis Doctoral. Doctorado en Educación. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, UAB, Barcelona: 2016.
DALONGEVILLE, Alain. Noción y práctica de la situación-problema en historia. Enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales, 2, pp. 3-12, 2003. https://www.raco.cat/index.php/ensenanzacs/article/view/126144
DEWEY, John. Cómo pensamos: Nueva exposición de la relación entre pensamiento y proceso educativo. Barcelona: Paidós, 2002 (edición original de 1910).
DEWEY, John. Democracia y educación: Una introducción a la filosofía de la educación. Madrid: Morata, 1995 (edición original de 1916).
EVANS Ronald W. (ed.). Handbook on Teaching Social Issues. IAP. 2ª edición, 2021.
EVANS, Ronald W. & SAXE, David Warren (eds.). Handbook on Teaching Social Issues. Washington: NCSS, 1996.
EVANS, Ronald W. The social studies wars, now and then. Social Education, n. 70, p. 321-325, 2006.
FERRO, Marc. Cómo se cuenta la historia a los niños en el mundo entero. Madrid: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1993.
FERRO, Marc. Las fuentes de la conciencia histórica. ¿Crisis de la historia o de la disciplina? Signos Históricos, v. 1, n. 2. UNAM. Unidad Iztapalapa. México, p. 139-152, 1999.
FONTANA, Josep. Historia: análisis del pasado y proyecto social. Barcelona: Crítica, 1982.
GADAMER, Hans-Georg. El problema de la conciencia histórica. Madrid: Tecnos, 1993.
HESS, Diana, E. Controversy in the classroom: The democratic power of discussion. New York: Routledge, 2009.
HICKS, David. Hicks. Lessons for the future. The Missing Dimensions in Education. Trafford Publishing, 2006.
HICKS, David. & HOLDEN, Cathie. Remembering the future: what do children think? Environmental Education Research, 13, 501-512, 2007.
HO, Li-Ching, MCAVOY, Paula, HESS, Diana & GIBBS, Brian. Teaching and Learning about Controversial Issues and Topics in the Social Studies. A Review of the Research. In: MCGLINN, Meghan & BOLICK, Cheryl Mason (eds.). The Wiley Handbook of Social Studies Research, Malden, MA (USA): John Wiley & Sons, 2017, p. 321-335.
HOBSBAWM, Eric. Sobre la historia. Barcelona: Crítica, 1998.
LEGARDEZ, Alain. L’enseignement des questions sociales et historiques, socialement vives. Le Cartable de Clio, n. 3, p. 245-253, 2003.
LEVSTIK, Linda. What can history and the social sciences contribute to civic education? In: PAGÈS, Joan.; SANTISTEBAN, Antoni (ed.). Una mirada al pasado y un proyecto de future. Investigación e innovación en la didáctica de las ciencias sociales. Barcelona: Servei de Publicacions de la UAB/AUPDCS, 2014, p. 43-51.
LOWENTHAL, David. El pasado es un país extraño. Barcelona: Akal.
MATTOZZI, Ivo. La mente laboratoriale. In: Bernardi, A. (a cura di). Insegnare storia. Guida alla didattica del laboratorio storico. Torino: UTET, 2006, p. 9-17
MCCRARY, Nancye E. ; ROSS, E.Waybe (eds.). Working for Social Justice Inside & Outside the Classroom. A Community of Students, Teachers, Researchers, and Activists. New York: Peter Lang, 2016.
MIGNOLO, Walter. The Darker Side of Western Modernity: Global Futures, Decolonial Options. Durham & London: Duke University Press, 2011.
NANCUANTE, Vivian. Aymaras y afrodescendientes en la enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales en el Norte Grande de Chile. Director: Antoni Santisteban. 2022. Tesis Doctoral. Doctorado en Educación. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, UAB, Barcelona: 2022.
NELSON, Jack L.; STANLEY, William. B. Critical studies and social education: 40 years of TRSE. Theory & Research in Social Education, 41(4), p. 438-456, 2013.
PAGÈS, Joan; SANTISTEBAN, Antoni. Cambios y continuidades: aprender la temporalidad histórica. In: GUIMARÃES, Selva (coord.): Ensino Fundamental. Conteúdos, Metodologias e Práticas. Campinas: Editora Alínea, 2009, p.197-240.
ROSS, Wayne E.; VINSON, Kevin D. La educación para una ciudadanía peligrosa. Enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales, n. 11, p. 73-86, 2012.
RÜSEN, Jörn. Memory, history and the quest for the future. In: Cajani, Luigi (ed.). History Teaching, Identities and Citizenship. European Issues in Children’s Identity and Citizenship, 7. CiCe. Stoke on Trent. Trentham Books, 2007, p. 13-34.
SANTISTEBAN, Antoni. Del tiempo histórico a la conciencia histórica: cambios en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la historia en los últimos 25 años. Diálogo Andino, n. 53, p. 87-99, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0719-26812017000200087
SANTISTEBAN, Antoni. La enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales a partir de problemas sociales o temas controvertidos: estado de la cuestión y resultados de una investigación. El Futuro del Pasado, n. 10, p. 57-79, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.14516/fdp.2019.010.001.002
SANTISTEBAN, Antoni. Social Sciences Education Based on Social Problems: Traditions and Integrative Tendencies. In: Ortega-Sánchez, Delfin (ed.) Controversial Issues and Social Problems for an Integrated Disciplinary Teaching. Integrated Science, Springer, Cham, vol. 8, 2022, p.23-34. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08697-7_3
SANTISTEBAN, Antoni. Processos-chave na aprendizagem da História. In: Gabriel, Carmen Teresa; Bomfim, Marcus Leonardo & Alves, Juliana (org.). Aprendizagem e avaliação da história na escola: questões epistemológicas. Rio de Janeiro: Mauad X, 2023, p. 87-107.
SANTISTEBAN, Antoni; ANGUERA, Carles. Formación de la conciencia histórica y educación para el futuro. Clio & Asociados. La Historia Enseñada, n. 18-19, p. 249-267, 2014.
SANTISTEBAN, Antoni; CASTELLVÍ, Jordi. La formación del Pensamiento Histórico como Pensamiento Crítico. In: Santisteban, Antoni; Lima-Ferreira, Carlos A. (org.). O ensino de história no Brasil e Espanha. uma homenagem a Joan Pagès Blanch. Porto Alegre, RS: Editora Fi, 2021, p. 47-68. https://www.editorafi.com/132ensino
SEIXAS, Peter (ed.). Theorizing Historical Consciousness. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004.
TOSAR, Breogán. Llegir la paraula i el món. Literacitat crítica en els estudis socials a l’Educació Primària. Director: Antoni Santisteban. 2017. Tesis Doctoral. Doctorado en Educación. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, 2017.
WINEBURG, Sam. Why Learn History (When It’s Already on Your Phone). Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2018.
WINEBURG, Sam; MCGREW, Sarah. Lateral Reading and the Nature of Expertise: Reading Less and Learning More When Evaluating Digital Information. Teachers College Record, v. 121, p. 1-40, 2019.
VVAA. La Historia del Otro. Una doble mirada al conflicto árabe-israelí. Barcelona: Intermón-Oxfam, 2005.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Antoni Santisteban Fernández
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This journal provides open access to all of it content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Such access is associated with increased readership and increased citation of an author's work. For more information on this approach, see the Public Knowledge Project, which has designed this system to improve the scholarly and public quality of research, and which freely distributes the journal system as well as other software to support the open access publishing of scholarly resources. The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.
The Perspectiva allow the author(s) yo hold the copyright without restrictions as well as publishing rights. If the paper will be republished later in another format, the author(s) should inform that it has originally been published as article in Perspectiva Journal and quote the complete references.
