Can’t Stop this Feeling: Tracing the Origins of Historical Empathy During the Cold War Era, 1950–1980

Abstract

Historical empathy is a critical aspect of history and social science education that has its roots in the inquiry-based education movements of the twentieth century. Although the term “historical empathy” is not specifically mentioned in most history curriculum documents in the United States, dozens of “new social studies” initiatives were created by scholars and practitioners that encompassed the goals of historical empathy. The fierce political rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union post-Sputnik led to unparalleled education funding that included not only math and science, but also foreign languages and the history and social science disciplines. These New Social Studies initiatives fostered inquiry-based learning that asked students to consider what it meant to be human. In this research, we trace the contemporary origins of historical empathy through a review of education documents and curricular materials from 1950 through 1980. We examine how the work of educational organizations and leaders during the Cold War era impacted historical empathy as a curricular goal.