Through the Lens of Local Historians: A Historiographical Survey of Master of Arts in History Theses from Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) and Silliman University (SU)

Abstract

This study is an historiographical survey of varying MA History theses from Negros Oriental State University and Silliman University. The study aims, at the outset, to provide a background on how the MA History programs from both aforesaid universities started; more importantly, it aims to provide an adumbration – and concomitantly a synthesis – of the different theses written by the respective MA History graduates. Much emphasis will be given on the categorization based on the various historical themes or frameworks done or used by each writer. The various historical themes include: social history, political history, biographies (political/cultural), institutional/religious history, and socio-cultural history. Suffice it to say, there are still some gaps – studies that have yet to be written – that may need to be filled. Moreover, some theses that have been written – especially from NORSU – need some form of improvement in a sense that it should not merely be an enumeration of data, but it should at least be a historical narrative that has meaning.