ABSTRACT
Dealing with the theoretical bases of history education – i.e. of teaching and learning history – this paper presents an outsider’s perspective in this volume concerning teaching economics in the 21st century. The article provides a brief introduction to the academic field of (German speaking) history didactics, its main concepts and categories. After outlining the scientific understanding of history and the concepts of historical consciousness, historical culture and learning history, we focus on central – normative – criteria for history education. These criteria are relevant for any texts and schoolbooks that are used in history education. They all aim to support a way of critical historical thinking based on the discussion of different interpretations concerning the past. These different interpretations are central for encouraging critical thinking in students.
