This paper is intended to describe the contents of a radio program that would try to better inform its audience about the subject and study of history. The approach proposed here would be a format of discussion between guest historians, followed if possible by answers to live phoned-in questions.
If I had my own program on, for example, a local public radio station, and were free to discuss whatever ideas appealed to me, I would find it interesting to create a show intended to overcome the general public disdain for history, to show how history can be of practical use, and to inform the audience about what professional historians actually do. To accomplish this, I would hope to recruit two lively history teachers from local colleges, and have them engage in discussion during the show, so that there would be an exchange of viewpoints and a sharpening of focus. It would be important that the guests be both popular, effective teachers and practicing historians who are respected by their colleagues within the field of history.
The type of topics to be discussed would include the following. The precise order in which they would be covered, or whether they would be covered at all, would have to depend on the evolution of the dialogue between the two guest speakers. However, this list could serve as the script on which to fall back should there be any lull in the discussion.
Discussion might be set off by quoting and commenting about George SantayanaÆs well-known dictum, ôThose who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.ö The two guests could discuss the issue of exactly what Santayana meant by this aphorism, and in what senses it might be true. It might be possible to make a joke that one meaning could be that students who fail their history course will have to take it again. It might also be possible to introduce the concept of historical determinism, give examples of it, and dismiss it as not relevant to SantayanaÃ...