Sin Boldly! Or, First-Year Experience ‘Big History’ in 21st Century Liberal Education

Big History is rapidly emerging as a new global discipline! whose adoption into diverse educational models is advocated by a rich array of voices, from those of educators and artists to industrialists and spiritualists. Of those voices, some concern themselves primarily with higher education and, in turn, almost unanimously advocate for the inclusion of Big History into general education programs or core curricula. Unfortunately, the unanimity ends there. Bemoaning the politics and territoriality of higher education, many of these advocates feel forced to bow to institutional realities and the ever-continuous competition for turf and resources; and thus aspirations and hopes are reduced to that which is deemed possible in a hostile environment. Inevitably, the advocate is faced with questions, such as: What is it? Is it history? Is it a social science course? Should it be an interdisciplinary elective? Will it kill World History? Doesn’t it really belong in the category of myth and narrative? So, inevitably, the advocate’s search for an available niche begins