Osama Bin Laden Is Dead...Marking the World History Forever!

Did you think History is a book of tales? No, Sir! It is about real incidents and real people that mark the future of generations to come. Osama Bin Laden has now become a part of World History. US may call him the Biggest Terrorist of All Times while some other may honor him to be a Martyr and a Revolutionary Leader but the fact remains that Osama has unleashed an upheaval in the history of intercontinental and inter-relationships as we know it.

Whether it is Asia Pacific, Middle East, or the West, the witch hunt of Osama Bin Laden ever since 9/11 that ended with his killing on May 1, 2011 concludes one of the most important chapters in History, or we could say, has marked a beginning of the new one. Only those who have seriously studied History realize that it is not only about the past. It is as much about the present and the future. History researches are meant to come up with important lessons for the humankind - to learn from the mistakes of the past, take better decisions and make better policies in the present, and shape up a better future.

It is true that most of the history we know has been penned down from the winners' point of view but with the globalization and free sharing of resources, more and more historians from different regions of the world are coming up together to come up with more holistic and balanced versions of history, with inputs from different standpoints.

If you find it exciting to investigate how the governments in different countries operate, to delve into their policies and predict their future outcomes, you may find some vital clues in the history of those countries and similar policies and actions undertaken by the governments, kings, queens, and reigning heads of other countries.

A true historian would never shirk in his or her efforts in studying and analyzing the truth. According to the QS World University Rankings 2010 - Arts & Humanities, the colleges and universities where you can find best ranked history programs in the world are:

•University of Oxford
•University of Cambridge
•Harvard University
•University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
•Yale University
•Princeton University
•University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
•Stanford University
•University of Chicago
•Columbia University
•University of Toronto
•UCL (University College London)
•Université Paris Sorbonne, Paris IV
•University of Edinburgh
•New York University (NYU)
•Cornell University
•Australian National University
•University of Michigan
•The University of Sydney
•The University of Tokyo

Career Prospects in World History

History is not only for those who want to become professors and librarians. The skills you develop as a historian are applicable to various fields. In fact, till late, History was one of the favorite subjects for those who wanted to enter Civil Services, as a number of questions in the Civil Services Entrance Exam was based on the subject. Then, there is travel and tourism sector where professionals with a history background can offer interesting insights into historical monuments, culture, arts and crafts of the region, and origin of various traditions for the tourists.

Research institutions, museums, art and craft institutions, folk art exhibitors, and archaeology departments welcome historians with open arms and so do TV channels and newspapers who are often on the lookout for history researchers who can provide interesting backgrounds for their Breaking News and other news highlights. Law, publishing industry, and management training are other fields where historians can offer positive contributions.

And as the cliché goes, it is only your passion that defines success. History can be your forte, if you really love it. Keep visiting this page for some interesting discussions on History and careers related to it.

Find an interesting discussion on teaching the history of Osama Bin Laden to students in our Shiksha forums here.

Source: Ruchi Shrimali (Shiksha Team)

Date: 5th May, 2011