Bringing History to Life: Teaching Fact and Fiction (Education)

By: Marc-André Éthier and David Lefrançois

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Synopsis: History has never been as present in our daily lives as it is today. Through any number of media outlets, tens of millions of people are in daily contact with historical discourses and practices. Between games, informational articles, social media posts and other sources, history is everywhere—in Civilization VI, live-action role-playing games, The Berlin Trilogy, Game of Thrones, and the works of Tolkien or Satrapi. This rise in popularity of history, along with an unprecedented access to social platforms, provide opposing and irreconcilable views of what should be commemorated (or debunked), of decolonization and reconciliation, and of other historical and social justice questions such as the elimination of police brutality and racism. How can we help our youth develop the critical thinking they need to address these questions?Reflecting on the use of works of non-academic history in the classroom, the authors of this book explore the use of popular or public history to teach historical thinking that will enable students to become informed and engaged citizens.