Learning History Lecture – Semester 2 Week 6
Public History
- Shared History
o Can be transnational
o League of Nations, United Nations
o European Union
o Union of African States, Organisation of African Unity, African Union
o South American Community of Nations
- Football Clubs
o Notts County: stressing the antiquity of the club through the date on its
crest
o Memorialising. Museums, memorabilia, photographs, names on stands,
dates on shirts
- Imagined Community
o Can go back decades, generations, centuries
o Can motivate people to fight in an army etc.
- Varieties
o National (Nation state: Britain, Italy, Germany)
o National (Separatist: Scottish, Welsh, Basque, Breton)
o Regional, civic/municipal
o BUT also community-based, religious, professional, interest-based
- National
o Focus today on national identity and public history. Collective memory
already addressed
o Benedict Anderson (‘imagined communities’) and Joep Leerssen (the
political significance of narrative)
o Why do states wish to use history to shape identities?
o Two case studies: Germany and Italy
o Both united as ‘nation states’ in the third quarter of the nineteenth
century. Both deeply divided
o How and why was public history used?
o There are more accountants with History degrees than any other degree.
There are more accountants in Britain than any other EU country. Why?
Because historians are good at telling stories, as to why their clients can’t
pay taxes.
- Germany and Italy
o Germany – long history of territorial fragmentation. New state established
through the conscious exclusion of many Germans (Austrians). Germany
also very divided by religion: Reformation to Kulturkampf.
o Italy: long history of division since fall of Roman Empire. Very
considerable opposition to unification (brigandage in south during 1860s
tied down much of the national army). Fierce local pride (campanilismo),
and very few Italians could speak national language (De Mauro suggests
3%).
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Public History
- Shared History
o Can be transnational
o League of Nations, United Nations
o European Union
o Union of African States, Organisation of African Unity, African Union
o South American Community of Nations
- Football Clubs
o Notts County: stressing the antiquity of the club through the date on its
crest
o Memorialising. Museums, memorabilia, photographs, names on stands,
dates on shirts
- Imagined Community
o Can go back decades, generations, centuries
o Can motivate people to fight in an army etc.
- Varieties
o National (Nation state: Britain, Italy, Germany)
o National (Separatist: Scottish, Welsh, Basque, Breton)
o Regional, civic/municipal
o BUT also community-based, religious, professional, interest-based
- National
o Focus today on national identity and public history. Collective memory
already addressed
o Benedict Anderson (‘imagined communities’) and Joep Leerssen (the
political significance of narrative)
o Why do states wish to use history to shape identities?
o Two case studies: Germany and Italy
o Both united as ‘nation states’ in the third quarter of the nineteenth
century. Both deeply divided
o How and why was public history used?
o There are more accountants with History degrees than any other degree.
There are more accountants in Britain than any other EU country. Why?
Because historians are good at telling stories, as to why their clients can’t
pay taxes.
- Germany and Italy
o Germany – long history of territorial fragmentation. New state established
through the conscious exclusion of many Germans (Austrians). Germany
also very divided by religion: Reformation to Kulturkampf.
o Italy: long history of division since fall of Roman Empire. Very
considerable opposition to unification (brigandage in south during 1860s
tied down much of the national army). Fierce local pride (campanilismo),
and very few Italians could speak national language (De Mauro suggests
3%).
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