Giving National Form to the Content of the Past. A Study of the Narrative Construction of Historical Events

Abstract

In this paper we aim to examine the role of narratives in the construction of historical events, focusing on the inherent relationship between aesthetical and moral dimensions in giving accounts of the past. Thus we will consider narratives as meaning making cultural artefacts through which past, present and future events can be discursively constructed and linked by means of a plot. From this standpoint, we will see how, in the case of national histories, this narrative link is of great importance not only to justify historically the existence of nations, but also how in the narrative construction of these nations’ past and present and possible future scenarios, creates a certain direction for action. Finally, in taking this matter into account, we will put forward some ideas about the teaching of history, stressing the importance of creating citizens capable of reflecting critically on the official versions of the past.

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