Foreword

Authors

Tyler Balli, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Forword, Thetean Journal, Historical Writing

Abstract

The world we live in is far from perfect. Prejudice, misunderstanding, and fear of the "other"-whoever that other might be-still abound. Perhaps some of these characteristics are simply human and will never be eradicated entirely. But I truly believe that one remedy for these feelings is the study of history. After all, history takes us to times and places completely foreign to us. It requires us to cry to understand people's thoughts, fears, motivations, and reasoning even though they are completely different from our own. Well-researched and well-written history helps us remove labels and discard oversimplifications and generalizations, helping us see the complexity of people and situations. In the end, hopefully we take away from history more than simply important dates and figures. Instead, we take away a new sense of empathy or understanding. This process helps us, in turn, to seek greater understanding and empathy for our fellow human beings in the world today.

Recommended Citation

Balli, Tyler (2017) "Foreword," The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 2.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thetean/vol46/iss1/2