Beyond the postmodern?: A critical discussion of big history, science and public history - part 2

Part 1 of this article outlined the approach of Big History and some of its perceived benefits. We also argued that David Christian, like all other historians, has been influenced by the context in which he has written. In Part 2 we will analyse how this continues to be the case via Big History by outlining the contemporary message it sends. This will be followed by a discussion of some of the pitfalls and criticisms of this increasingly popular approach to the past, including an analysis of Big History's online course in the context of the issues surrounding Public History.