Historical relevance
As historical validity refers to the criterion of a narration . A distinction is made between three aspects of validity: the empirical , normative and narrative . These three aspects of assessment are interrelated and are intended to help reflect and review historical representations for their validity .
Concept history
The adjective “triftig” has been attested in the German- speaking area since the 15th century and originally means something like “(too) accurate”. The noun is used in the following to mean “responsibility” or as “weight” or “urgency”.
More recently, the concept of validity has become relevant in Jürgen Habermas' “ Theory of Communicative Action ” , in which it is argued that an assessment of reasons cannot be done adequately without reflecting on one's own belief in these reasons.
Derivation of the historical validity criteria
According to Rüsen , the criteria for the validity of scientific historical representations do not fundamentally differ from the criteria for the credibility of other manifestations of historical thought. History as a science, however, has a higher claim to the truth content of its narratives. It claims that the historical knowledge it has gained is generally valid. Here Rüsen sees the purpose of history as science: " The whole pathos of science and with it that which makes the effort of science understandable, worthwhile and justifies, lies in the fact that it produces results in the form of a historical knowledge, theirs Validity claim must be shared by everyone who demands validity from stories at all. "
In order to be able to work out the criteria for the validity of history as a science, Rüsen examines the credibility of everyday stories. Stories are considered to be “true” in everyday life if one can agree with them or if doubts about the story can be dispelled. According to Rüsen, the credibility of a story can be questioned on the basis of three criteria and must therefore be able to justify its validity claim in these three ways. Rüsen calls these criteria empirical, normative and narrative relevance. Stories can be checked with these three validity claims. In a historical presentation, these criteria must be taken into account at the same time.
Aspects of historical validity
Empirical relevance
Narrations justify their claim to validity by showing that the reported events or processes etc. actually took place. This is always done in a scientific context by providing information about the sources , e.g. B. Information about the documents used , eyewitness reports , files , films, etc. Jörn Rüsen calls this criterion empirical validity: "Stories are empirically valid if the facts claimed in them are backed up by experience." The criterion of empirical validity is not only applicable to historical representations, but to all statements that express facts, for example also to medical reports.
Normative relevance
A narration can also prove its validity claim by explaining why it is being told in the first place. From the past are due to social norms certain values and events or processes etc. selected and linked together and interpreted. This justifies the relevance of the narration for the addressee. Rüsen calls this type of validity claim normative validity: “Stories justify their validity claim by showing that the events they tell have a meaning for the everyday life of their addressees. [...] Historical truth can be described as normative validity in this justification regard. Stories are normatively valid if the meanings they claim are secured by applicable norms. "
Through the normative validity, what has happened is given significance for the life practice of the addressee. In addition, narratives are normatively valid if the meanings they contain correspond to the norms of their narrative presence .
This criterion is not only applied to historical representations, but to all statements that address the meaning and purpose of human action, such as doctrines of virtue and legal regulations.
Narrative relevance
The narrative relevance describes the classification of the “narrated event in the unity of a narrative that is meaningful in itself”. The facts (empirical validity) and relevance (normative validity) are linked to a narrative. This creates another criterion with which the success of this synthesis can be assessed. The synthesis is guided by a definition of meaning or an idea .
According to Rüsen, the criterion of narrative validity is the highest authority for a story's claim to validity: “Stories are narrative valid if the meaningful connection between facts and norms represented by them as a continuity in the flow of time through criteria of meaning (ideas as the highest aspects of the formation of meaning) is secured that are effective in the everyday practice of their addressees. "
In contrast to the empirical and normative validity, the criterion of narrative validity is related to the achievement of meaning, which is achieved through historical narration. That is specific to the area of history. The narrative validity aims at the inner unity of facts and norms and can therefore not be used independently of the other criteria to justify the claim to validity of narrations.
Relevance in history class
Correctness and historical didactic competence models
Rüsen's criterion of validity forms the conceptual basis for numerous competence models. Corresponding to the historical- theoretical insight that historical knowledge and skills are acquired through historical narration through time experience, competence models like that of Peter Gautschi have their theoretical reference point in the criteria of historical, especially narrative, validity. Because only through the narration is the past made present.
Most of the history didactic competence models put narrative competence, measured against the criteria of validity, at the center of history teaching practice.
Relevance and assessment of history teaching
Although Rüsen's considerations on the validity of narratives do not explicitly refer to history lessons, these validity criteria can also be used to describe the quality of teaching. For the implementation, the three aspects of historical validity must be adapted for history lessons and now meet the criteria of meaning formation (normative validity), narration (narrative validity) and media / sources (empirical validity). The construction of meaning is to help the formation of intent to present and disclose why treating something in class. For example, transparency plays an important role and should enable visible learning .
For the criterion of empirical validity it is decisive whether the sources used serve to answer the question asked. In addition, it should be ensured that sources have the function of making plausible and comprehensible statements about the past possible. The sources must therefore correspond to the question and should allow a clear but detailed discussion. The category of narration (narrative accuracy) puts the cognitive process in the foreground and is interested in the structure of the narration created by the teacher and how this should be critically reflected by the learners involved.
Individual evidence
- ^ German dictionary by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm . Treib - Tz, no. 22 . Leipzig 1952, p. 505-512 .
- ↑ Jürgen Habermas: Action Rationality and Social Rationalization . In: Theory of communicative action . 1st edition. tape 1 . Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 1981, ISBN 978-3-518-57591-8 , pp. 191 .
- ↑ a b Jörn Rüsen: Historical reason. Basics of a History 1: The Basics of History. 1st edition. Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, Görringen 1983, ISBN 3-525-33482-6 , pp. 76-79 .
- ↑ a b c d e Jörn Rüsen: Historical reason. Basics of a History 1: The Basics of History . 1st edition. Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, Göttingen 1983, ISBN 3-525-33482-6 , pp. 82-84 .
- ↑ Barricelli, Michele et al .: Historical competencies and competency models . In: Barricelli, Michele and Lücke, Martin (Hrsg.): Handbuch Praxis des Geschichtsunterrichts . 2nd Edition. tape 1 . Wochenschau, Schwalbach / Ts 2012, p. 210 .
- ^ Marko Demantowsky, Monika Waldis: John Hatties "Visible Learning" and history didactics. Limits and Perspectives . In: Journal for History Didactics . tape 13 , 2014, p. 100–116 , doi : 10.17613 / jbsg-6w46 ( hcommons.org [accessed October 31, 2019]).
- ↑ Jan Hodel: Meaning formation, narration, media. Truths as Basics for Assessing History Classes. In: Sandkühler et al. (Ed.): History Lessons in the 21st Century . Göttingen 2018, p. 338-342 .