본문 바로가기
  • Home
Basic Search

Possibilities for Historical Criticism Through History Films

  • The Review of Korean History
  • 2016, (121), pp.7-40
  • Publisher : The Historical Society Of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > History

Hana Lee 1

1연세대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces historical films as a touchpoint of viewing historiophoty through two perspectives and discusses the role historians should play for them. The two perspectives on viewing historiophoty are none other than the perspectives of popularizing of history and that of producing historical contents, i.e. popular culturalization of history, which run parallel to each other and meet in the category of historical films. Thus, the confusing terms surrounding historical films, i.e. emplotment of history, faction, history film, etc., have been redefined and the requisites and category of movies that can be designated as history films established. Between the theses that history films must enlighten and awaken the masses and that of popular culturalization of history as consuming history as entertainment, history films can become an intellectual space for sharing these concerns. Thus, they can be taken as a touchpoint for conversation, shortening the existing gap of the method of emphasizing historical facts and interpretation and viewing historiophoty as a method of easily conveying history to the masses as well as being a method of consuming history as subject matter and resource of analysis and entertainment. This is because history films can fulfill both of these functions. The masses do not simply learn historical knowledge, but when the primary goal of history education and popularization of history is raising their abilities to think historically, historians must take a proactive attitude toward history films as a form of historical criticism. Historical criticism here does not mean that historians should stand in a superior role as enlightened intellectuals over producers of popular culture, but furnish stimulation and opportunities for viewers to actively participate in current problems through history films. Moreover, when history education still can be used as a tool of political repression of ideas, history films can be an effective bypass of providing alternative historical interpretations to the masses. As a site where history and the masses meet, today’s historians should actively participate in this area as history films can raise historical criticism by nurturing historical thinking and critical consciousness.

Statistics

  • 2,033 Viewed
  • 2 Downloaded

Tools

Issue List

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

Basic Search Advanced Search