Historical Narrative Research Articles

A Plum Story? Early Encounters and Colonial Views of the Safu in Central Africa, Seventeenth-Twentieth Centuries

ABSTRACT The diversity of edible species originating in Africa is considerable, but the history of their use and domestication remains largely neglected, despite existing historical records. This essay aims to explore attitudes towards safu (Pachylobus edulis), a Central African fruit that defies Western categories. Based on more than one hundred archival documents, this study examines the history of the safu and the tree that produces it as seen by Europeans (German, English, Belgian, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, etc.) present in Central Africa. The documentation collected on safus and safu trees reflects not only local views of the species but also the broader European projects pursued on the continent and the vision of African foodways. Indeed, their valuation is symptomatic of food encounters and hierarchies during colonial settlement. More broadly, it reveals how subsistence and agriculture were viewed in the region: the ubiquity of this fruit tree around villages, as often reported, contrasts sharply with the historical narrative of the absence of African agriculture in the tropics. Finally, it shows how colonial enterprises, despite hindered dispersal and missed opportunities, circulated the species in different parts of the planet.

Historical narratives: how Portuguese students aged 10 and 15 make use of national history

The main purpose of this study is to demonstrate how students make use of their knowledge about national history, while considering relevant perspectives in history education about the development of historical consciousness. A total of 103 students attending the sixth or the ninth grade in Portuguese schools were asked to ‘spontaneously’ write about the history of Portugal. This allowed the understanding of their historical literacy and the identification of the development of their historical consciousness. The data analysis was mainly based on a qualitative approach inspired by the grounded theory, carried out through a process of coding of the narrative elements in order to find meanings on conceptual trends. Generally, the results suggest the prevalence of similar schematic templates in the students’ narratives. At the same time, the research process highlighted two main categories: the assumption of a certain national identity and the understanding of intertemporal relations for personal orientation. Within the former, students either appear tied to fixed conceptions of the past, more often in the sixth grade, or to present a more historically balanced pattern, although still somewhat ethnocentric. In the latter, the idea of connecting the past and the present appears to be the overall trend, particularly in the ninth grade.

Heritage conservation and civilisational competition in the South Caucasus: the Blue Mosque of Yerevan and the Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha

ABSTRACT This paper explores the role of cultural heritage in shaping competing civilisational identities amid the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. As its case studies, it focuses on the relatively recent restorations of two significant mosques, the Blue Mosque in Yerevan (capital of Armenia) and the Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha (capital of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan), respectively. Referring to primary references in Persian, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Armenian, and Russian, the paper elaborates historical, cultural, and political narratives surrounding these edifices and their restorations. This situates heritage conservation within the South Caucasus’s intricate historical and geopolitical landscape. Within this context, the function of heritage extends beyond national cultural symbolism. Responding to a transnational dimension, heritage functions as an instrument in geopolitical manoeuvring by both Armenia and Azerbaijan and in relation to rising and influential regional powers, Iran, and Turkey. Here the distinct function of heritage is shaping civilisational identities: it projects scales beyond the nation-state and is integral to various other forms of bilateral and multilateral agreements, including military and economic. As such, disputes over these two heritage sites and others like them, echo broader geopolitical and civilisational tensions at regional scales. Thus, heritage is at once the battleground for national-territorial and civilisational claims.

Dam(n) Displacement: Compensation, Resettlement, and Indigeneity

Hydroelectric dams produce electricity, provide flood control, and improve agricultural irrigation. But the building and operation of these dams frequently involve forced displacement of local communities. Displacement often has an outsized impact on indigenous persons, who are disproportionately poor, repressed, and politically marginalized. One can limit these adverse effects in various ways: (1) taking seriously the ethics of dam-induced development, (2) rooting out corruption, (3) paying compensation at or near the beginning of dam projects, (4) using land-for-land exchanges, (5) disbursing resettlement funds as needed until displaced persons are firmly established in their new locations, and (6) having entities that loan money to foreign governments for power dams insist that a percentage of the loan be sequestered to cover compensation and resettlement costs. This sextet of sensible measures must, however, be applied to highly different countries and indigenous persons. This application will be unsuccessful unless these measures fit the local situations on the ground. This Article shows how one can succeed in two quite different countries–China and Guatemala–in which past efforts have proved inadequate. Maya Achi displaced by the Chixoy Dam in Guatemala are an “indigenous people” under any traditional definition. Ethnic minorities displaced by dams in China are not traditional indigenous peoples because historical narratives of outsider conquest and colonization do not apply to them. They are, however, indigenous ethnic minorities. The Han Chinese supermajority dominates, represses, and discriminates against them. China ought to treat them in basically the same way that other countries ought to treat their indigenous peoples.

Postage Stamps as Political and Religious Propaganda: The Case of Hamas

The article, “Postage Stamps as Political and Religious Propaganda: The Case of Hamas,” analyzes the use of postage stamps by Hamas between 2009 and 2019 as a medium for disseminating political, religious, and nationalist messages. After assuming control of Gaza in 2007, Hamas issued 148 stamps, utilizing them to assert its legitimacy, promote resistance to Israel, and shape a Palestinian historical narrative. Although these stamps were not recognized by the Universal Postal Union, they served as an important communication tool within Gaza. The study reveals that over half of the stamps focus on themes related to the national struggle, including martyrdom, military operations, and Palestinian unity. Additionally, religious symbols, particularly those related to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and international commemorative events are prominent features. The findings suggest that stamps were strategically employed by Hamas to strengthen its role in the Palestinian struggle and to enhance its domestic legitimacy. The article concludes by proposing further comparative research between the stamps of Hamas and those issued by other non-recognized entities, while also addressing the potential influence of the 2023 Gaza conflict on future stamp issuance.

Plague and Epidemic Disease in the Northern Parts of the Low Countries, 1349-1450

This article reviews what we know about plague and other epidemic diseases in the northern Low Countries before 1450 – the evidence, its limitations, and its implications. I make three observations. First, sources suggest that the Black Death was severe in central inland areas, although we lack conclusive evidence for its impact in the county of Holland. Second, the recurring epidemics occurring in the northern Low Countries were often severe – in certain localities reaching death rates of 20-25 percent. In this respect, Holland was as afflicted as other areas in the Low Countries. Third, while the outbreak of 1439 was a notable exception, most epidemics in the northern Low Countries rarely occurred during or just after grain price spikes, suggesting that food crises were not major drivers of epidemic disease in the period 1349-1450. I support further attempts to obtain empirical evidence for the mortality effects of epidemics in the medieval Low Countries. Ultimately, this information can be the foundation behind insights into other important long-term narratives in social, demographic, and economic history in the region.

Symbolic Interpretations of Mah Meri Visual Art: A Conceptual Approach Using Peirce’s Semiotic Theory

This study examines the visual art heritage of the Mah Meri tribe through a semiotic analysis. Utilizing Charles Sanders Peirce's Semiotic Theory as the foundational framework, the research decodes the symbolism embedded in Mah Meri's artistic expressions. The aim is to understand and document the deep meanings behind these symbols and their impact on the cultural identity and historical narratives of the Mah Meri tribe. An ethnographic approach is employed for data collection, including field observations, photographic and videographic documentation, and qualitative interviews with community members. The findings reveal that Mah Meri's art is rich in symbolic meanings that reflect the tribe's cultural identity and history. The study also highlights the negative effects of modernization on traditional art forms, necessitating urgent preservation efforts. This research makes significant contributions to the field of visual anthropology by emphasizing the importance of semiotic analysis in understanding and preserving indigenous art. It calls for increased efforts in documenting and protecting the visual heritage of the Mah Meri tribe to ensure its transmission to future generations.

Language learning space and legitimation of adult second language speakers in the workplace

ABSTRACT This paper explores space in relation to the (il)legitimacy of migrants as second language learners and speakers. Migrants learn the host country’s language(s) in multiple settings, both in language classrooms and beyond in various institutional and non-institutional settings. The workplace is a crucial setting for many migrant language learners. Applying the concept of positioning (Bamberg [1997]. Positioning between structure and performance. Journal of Narrative and Life History, 7(1–4), 335–342. https://doi.org/10.1075/jnlh.7.42pos; Bamberg & Georgakopoulou [2008]. Small stories as a new perspective in narrative and identity analysis. Text & Talk, 28(3), 377–396. https://doi.org/10.1515/TEXT.2008.018) to focus group discussions with four female highly educated migrants from Indonesia who recently came to Norway, the present paper explores the meanings and roles of space and place in the legitimacy of Norwegian language learners. As part of the focus group discussions, a city map was used to elicit the participants’ narratives. The findings illustrate that legitimacy as language learners and speakers is constantly negotiated and renegotiated in various learning spaces. Different spaces may be associated with different language ideologies shaping the power structures that affect how learners can be perceived as legitimate or illegitimate speakers. This study contributes new insights into the role of spaces in language learning and legitimisation of second language speakers, in particular, adult learners in a non-English-speaking country.

Street Lighting in Brazilian Cities: From Comfort to Safety at Nighttime

Objective: The objective of this work is to carry out a qualitative literature review, with the aim of exploring the multidisciplinary nature of the topic discussed here. Bibliographic exploration was consulted in order to establish a historical narrative regarding the impact of the emergence of public lighting in Brazilian cities. It is also the intention to raise the discussion regarding the multifactors that public lighting can address in improving the lives of those who enjoy the city at night. This context, which presents itself as a fruit of human development, raises the need for work, since progress should not negatively affect the reality, health and sociability of the human species. As a secondary objective, the proposal arises to raise the collective notion of the importance of establishing administrative and technical efforts, so that Brazilian cities remain sufficiently illuminated during the night, since the technological development of lighting resources is constantly updated. Such understanding is fundamental to enhancing the role of urban settlements in the lives of the citizens who live there and have, at night, the possibility of leisure, work and sociability. As a consequence, an improvement in the safety, health and well-being of the population can be achieved. Theoretical Framework: The primary database used in the development of this study was the analysis of historical and technical data on the implementation of the public lighting system in Brazil, as well as its benefits, obtained from the bibliography of authors capable of discussing the subject. Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises the process of integrative bibliographic review, with the objective of fostering the multidisciplinary nature of the topic regarding public lighting in Brazilian cities. Data collection was carried out through the exploration of digital academic databases. Results and Discussion: The results obtained reinforced the crucial role of public lighting for the well-being of the population. Furthermore, they revealed that the central subject explored in the research demands a broad and integrated study, given the complexity of its nature. Public lighting in Brazilian cities needs to be analyzed from the perspective of various fields of knowledge. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights on how the results can be applied or influence practices in the fields of electrical engineering, urban planning, statistics, architecture, public administration, and the joint work between these fields. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by presenting an innovative, theoretical and integrative essay on the topic of public lighting in Brazilian cities. The work also acts as a promoter for future studies that seek to unite in a complex way the multifactors treated, and, possibly, factors external to the topic.

Township Politics

This book review explores "Township Politics: Civic Struggle for a New South Africa," offering a comprehensive assessment of its content and significance. Delving into the intricate dynamics of grassroots movements during the post-apartheid era, the review highlights the author's adept storytelling and sociopolitical analysis. By humanizing the historical narrative through the voices of ordinary citizens and community leaders, the book succeeds in providing a nuanced understanding of the challenges and triumphs inherent in civic engagement within South African townships. The critique acknowledges the strength of the book's dual approach, combining historical documentation with insightful analysis, while also considering the potential challenge posed by its level of detail. Overall, the review positions "Township Politics" as a compelling and essential read for those seeking a profound exploration of post-apartheid South Africa and the transformative power of grassroots activism.

Navigating Maritime Heritage: An Immersive Virtual Tour of the USS Drum Submarine Museum

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has revolutionized the preservation and interpretation of heritage sites. This study focuses on developing an immersive 360-degree virtual tour (VT) for the USS Drum Submarine Museum in Mobile, Alabama, USA, incorporating oral histories to enhance the accessibility and visitor experiences. The project addresses the need for innovative methods to present maritime history effectively. Using Matterport technology, detailed 3D imagery of the USS Drum was captured and processed, integrating multimedia elements and oral histories from a veteran USS Drum crew member to provide a richer historical narrative. A user experience study gathered feedback from virtual visitors, who offered quantitative and qualitative responses. The research findings indicate that the VT significantly enhances visitor engagement and historical understanding, with high satisfaction rates for visual quality and oral histories, though some users experienced technical challenges and difficulties. This study demonstrates the potential of combining immersive VTs with oral histories to create engaging educational experiences, preserving the USS Drum’s legacy and making it accessible to a broader audience, including those unable to visit in person. Furthermore, this project sets a precedent for museums to leverage digital tools in preserving and promoting maritime heritage and oral histories.

Compatibility and conflict between environmentalist and occupational identities in Northern California’s forests

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between occupational identity and attitudes toward environmentalism, using interviews with 55 workers in northern California, including loggers, governmental employees, and members of environmental organizations. The results suggest that attitudes toward environmentalism are shaped by and reflective of the ways participants identify with their work, which is itself a product of both internal (community) and external (stigma) forces. In particular, this relationship appears in the types of environmental knowledge possessed and preferred by participants, debates about active versus passive management, and long-lasting historical narratives form the timber wars. Ultimately, workers are fairly flexible in their attitudes toward the landscape, and they are willing even to shift their own occupational identity over time, as new forest issues emerge. However, they are often more rigid when it comes to perspectives of others, and this poses some challenges for the future of collaboration in western forest management.

Implementasi Model Pembelajaran Literasi Sejarah Berbasis Discovery Learning

The main objective of this research is to analyze the implementation of a history literacy learning model based on discovery learning in Social Studies Education for grade X at Senior High School. A mixed methods intervention design was used in this study. The subjects of the research were teachers and students from Pertiwi Senior High School in Padang City, West Sumatra Province. Data collection was conducted through direct observation of classroom activities, interviews with 29 students and 1 teacher regarding their experiences in the learning process, and tests in the form of pretests and posttests to assess learning outcomes before and after the implementation of the learning model. The results of this study indicate that quantitatively, the use of the history literacy learning model based on discovery learning has a positive impact on students' learning outcomes, as evidenced by the differences in learning results before and after the model was implemented. Qualitatively, this model has encouraged students to engage directly in exploring historical information, providing them with experiences while training them to think critically and analytically about various historical narratives. This research implies the importance of applying the history literacy learning model based on discovery learning in Social Studies Education at senior high schools within the framework of the Merdeka Curriculum. Teachers can use this model to facilitate students in developing their understanding of history and training various skills that are needed.

屠寄의 『蒙兀兒史記』 편찬과 전환기의 역사 인식

The Mengwuershiji(『蒙兀兒史記』) is a historiography written by Tu Ji, a bureaucrat and historian during the late Qing and early Republic of China. This book, a monumental work covering the history of the Mongol Empire, continues the trend of Yuanshi studies conducted during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Yuanshi(『元史』) had been criticized by scholars from its time to later periods for its errors and omissions. Consequently, from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, efforts to correct and supplement the Yuanshi were continually published. By the late Qing period, the confluence of the Qing's evidential scholarship tradition and the crisis at the frontier led to a flourishing of research that formed the academic stream known as 'Mongol-Yuan Studies.' Tu Ji wrote the Mengwuershiji in this context of ongoing scholarly critique and correction. However, the Mengwuershiji differs significantly in several aspects from earlier works written in the Ming and Qing dynasties that aimed to correct the Yuanshi. Tu Ji aimed to incorporate the Mongolian perspective in the Mengwuershiji. He also attempted to restore the historical narrative of the Mongol Empire. He supplemented the gaps found in the Yuanshi and its revised editions, which were written by Han Chinese historians, by including the early history of the Mongol tribes, the campaigns of Genghis Khan, and the genealogies and records of the various descendants of Genghis Khan who conquered Eurasia. Tu Ji meticulously detailed the origins of the Mongol tribes and the early history and achievements of Genghis Khan to thoroughly introduce the formation process of the Mongol Empire. Furthermore, he sought to reveal the scale and realities of the ruling group of the Mongols in detail. By elaborately describing the forces in Western Asia and the Mongol conquests, which were briefly covered in the 'History of Yuan,' he aimed to clarify the process of Mongol expansion across Eurasia and to attempt a restoration of the historical narrative of the Mongol Empire. Tu Ji's ability to approach the true nature of the Mongol Empire through the Mengwuershiji was made possible by the achievements of Mongol-Yuan studies that had been actively conducted since the 18th century and the Mongolian studies of Western academia. The individuals who introduced these studies were diplomats dispatched to Europe or students studying abroad. Notably, Hong Jun, who was dispatched as an ambassador to Russia, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, encountered Western research on Mongolian history and, based on this, wrote the Yuanshiyiwenzhengbu(『元史譯文証補』), which significantly influenced the structure and content of Tu Ji's Mengwuershiji. To understand this work, it is also necessary to understand the historical context of the time when the Mengwuershiji was compiled. In 1911, the Xinhai Revolution ultimately led to the fall of the Qing Empire, and Outer Mongolia, which was under the domain of the Qing Empire, declared its independence. Tu Ji began to devote himself to writing the history of the Mongol Empire during this transitional period of the fall of an empire and the birth of nation-states. In this regard, the Mengwuershiji reflects the historical awareness of the era's circumstances, including Tu Ji's personal encounter with the crisis of imperial collapse and the birth of a new nation.

An Overview of the Reformation brought by Christianity: A Historical and Bibliometric Perspective

Abstract: This paper provides a comprehensive historical and bibliometric analysis of the Reformation in Christianity, emphasizing its profound influence on religious, social, and political landscapes. The Reformation, initiated by key figures such as Martin Luther, marked a pivotal shift from the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, leading to the establishment of various Protestant denominations and significant reforms within the Catholic Church. This study integrates historical narratives with bibliometric methodologies to identify prevailing trends, influential works, and key contributors in Reformation studies. Analysing scholarly publications from 1964 to 2024, the paper highlights the evolution of research focus, emerging areas of interest, and the broader implications of Reformation principles on contemporary issues, including human rights, environmental activism, and socio-political reforms. The findings underscore the enduring legacy of the Reformation and its relevance to modern-day religious and socio-political contexts.

Monuments in the City of Zagreb as a Reflection of Croatian Society in Space and Time

This paper presents a sociological analysis of the monumental heritage of the City of Zagreb. Monuments are understood and described as „carriers of symbols” through which the ruling elites in a certain time and space endeavor to shape public opinion. A special focus has been given to the analysis of the temporal and spatial dimensions of monument management. The spatial dimension refers to the characteristics of a particular monument and the broader context of the space, that is, the environment in which it was placed. The temporal dimension refers to the management of monumental heritage by the ruling elites, which change in the process of elite circulation. The process of elite circulation is accompanied with efforts for imposing a historical narrative, which is necessarily a selective process in which certain parts of the collective memory are forgotten and others highlighted. Finally, this paper offers a temporal, that is, historical, context of the installation and meaning of the monumental heritage in the City of Zagreb, both for the people of Zagreb and for the entire Croatian nation.

Women in the Australian Baptist Denomination in Peace and War, 1920–1945

Exploring the roles and activities of Australian Baptist women is essential to present a complete history of the Australian Baptist denomination. Many historical narratives do not include women’s work in the denomination despite their numerical dominance. This article provides a brief overview of women’s work in their congregations and the broader denomination from 1920 to 1945. Women’s organisations were important as a vehicle for women’s ministries and fundraising, and they enabled talented individuals to be involved in leading and managing organisations, as well as demonstrating their theological views through speeches.

The Search for Legitimacy over Yugoslavia: Rudolf Bićanić and the Power of Gold

Abstract While historical narratives of the communist legitimation of power in Yugoslavia have often marginalized perspectives of lesser-known civil servants, this study highlights the crucial role of Dr. Rudolf Bićanić, a renowned Yugoslav economist. Departing from the diplomatic, foreign political, and military perspectives when investigating the Yugoslav émigré government actions, this article explores the ideas espoused, networks created, and actions performed by Bićanić across diverse transnational settings. Bićanić’s lens as a vice-governor of the Yugoslav National Bank demonstrates that the debates regarding the future social and economic policies shaped the transition process between the two Yugoslav states. Driven by a mission to enhance peasant living conditions in Yugoslavia, Bićanić embarked on a brief yet impactful governmental career from 1941 to 1945. The article posits that Bićanić’s anti-government propaganda disseminated through the United Committee of South Slavs and his financial malversations led to the transfer of economic and political legitimacy over Yugoslavia in April 1944 to the National Liberation Council. With this action, Bićanić accelerated the signing of the Tito-Šubašić agreement in June 1944, which empowered him to negotiate the post-war reconstruction aid and loans in Washington, DC, carving a unique path for Yugoslavia between socialism and capitalism.

The Unraveling Anthropocene: Exploring Murky Geographies

Many markers have been proposed for the onset of the Anthropocene. One possibility, anthroturbation, involves humankind’s excavation of tunnels, mines, and boreholes—the trace fossils of our civilization. This article explores the potential for anthropogenic sandstone caves to help refine the concept of the Subterranean Anthropocene in terms of anthroturbation. In friable sandstones such as the St. Peter Sandstone of the American Midwest, anthroturbation triggers runaway natural processes analogous to that of anthropogenic greenhouse gases which trigger uncontrollable warming in the atmosphere. Using Levi-Strauss’ A World on the Wane to contextualize the geology, and drawing from autoethnography, murky psychogeography, and the embodied experience of historical travel narratives, I propose a critical interdisciplinary framework for thinking about the Subterranean Anthropocene in terms of anthroturbation, emphasizing the role of dynamic processes and unraveling, rather than static markers.

An anticipatory regime of multiplanetary life: on SpaceX, Martian colonisation and terrestrial ruin

ABSTRACT In recent years, the aerospace engineering corporation SpaceX has been a vocal – and perhaps the foremost – contributor to the recent repopularisation of a discourse proposing the colonisation of Mars. This discourse has been intensively generative: SpaceX’s press releases regularly command prominent headlines in the news; the social media posts of Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, invariably attract thousands of replies; and a lively meme culture further amplifies what Musk himself has described as a mission to ‘make life multiplanetary’ – an imagined future in which humans have ‘occupied’ Mars. Such speculations about the future can be understood as ‘anticipatory regimes’ in which some notional, wished-for possibility is legitimised through historical narratives and inflected with the anxieties and hopes of the present. For SpaceX, this has involved assuming the inevitability of terrestrial ruin while mobilising a powerful discourse of great men and scientific endeavour embedded in the logics of colonial and capitalist expansion. This anticipatory regime occupies a prominent and generative position in net culture, but it also functions to obscure other possibilities for meaningful alternatives and urgent action in the here and now. To pursue the mission to make life multiplanetary is to marginalise urgent, vital discussions concerning colonial reckoning, environmental reconciliation, and the redistribution of extreme wealth disparities.