Fostering National Identity, Hindering Historical Understanding

Abstract

The discipline of history has been traditionally associated with the construction of national identity. Since the eighteenth century, the whole discipline has been structured around the concept of nation, portraying a naturalized and romantic conception of nation and national identity. Romantic national narratives around the world were produced as a fundamental mediator for understanding history. However, in the late twentieth century, new approaches on nation and national identity began to address the national phenomenon as a social construction, challenging the established romantic conceptions. This modern disciplinary approach has constituted a profound revolution not only in producing history, but also in teaching and learning history. However, national narratives and national identities remain as catalytic conditions that in one hand, support a romantic conception of the own nation and national identity, and on the other hand difficult a historical understanding of these concepts. This chapter analyzes the role of these mediators in students’ historical understanding through two different studies. Both studies were conducted with Spanish students, but one addressing historical contents from Spain and the other from Greece. Dealing with a historical content of a foreign nation, in which students’ national identity is not involved, seems to enable a more disciplinary understanding of the historical content. The role of national identity and national narratives as key catalysts for romantic understanding of history is discussed.