Histotainment

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Histotainment (from English history , history ' - and entertainment ), also historytainment , is a suitcase word for mixing historical information with entertainment. The choice of terms is analogous to infotainment (from information and entertainment ). The word formation "histotainment" harbors the risk of misunderstandings due to its similarity to terms such as histology or related terms.

Histotainment describes a combination of education and entertainment in the field of history. It can facilitate the imparting of historical knowledge and make the fictional entertainment offers historical plausibility.

development

Histotainment has existed in historical novels , dramas, and history paintings since the 19th century . Historical radio plays and period films have found an even wider audience since the first half of the 20th century . Also re-enactments as medieval markets , jousting or the reenactment of battles already have a long tradition.

Due to the possibilities of electronic data processing and distribution via electronic media , histotainment has been gaining in importance for around 50 years. Electronic data processing enables the rapid reconstruction of objects that have disappeared in 3D , the manipulation of historical data material and the connection of real objects and reconstructed images ( virtual reality , augmented reality ). Mixed forms such as features , docudramas and docu-soaps with historical content emerged. Many computer games combine history and action.

Dissemination via electronic media expands the target group: histotainment can be made accessible at any time and anywhere via social media and portable devices. Histotainment therefore plays a major role in the public mediation of history and in public history . It influences the view of history of a large number of people. This role is controversial.

Strengthen

Past facts, objects and people that were previously hidden from view can be presented in a lively and entertaining manner thanks to histotainment. Computer games even allow the audience to interact with them. This increases the motivation to deal with the past, the curiosity about history and the fun of historical learning. Specifically, the following strengths of histotainment are listed:

  • Encouraging empathy with people and situations from the past by making them more vividly present and introducing them to the audience's world.
  • The personalization of abstract historical processes, in that people who do not appear in the "big" story are represented as main characters or even play figures, shows their options for action and generally the openness of the respective past present.
  • Confrontation with foreign milieus and worlds from the past can promote intercultural understanding.
  • The interaction of the audience with electronic media increases motivation.
  • Histotainment enables entertainment and fun and is able to bring past history to life in a broad audience. Historical research and science also benefit from this.

weaknesses

The science of history also judges histotainment critically because the reconstructions it contains suggest historical correctness, although what is shown often has little to do with the empirically verifiable reality of history . Specifically, the following weaknesses are accused of histotainment:

  • Banalization: Histotainment reduces history to a simplified picture of the past. It often conveys an unreflected belief in progress and accepts anachronisms.
  • The sources, especially the contemporary witnesses, are presented in abbreviated form or incorrectly staged, and are also used uncritically.
  • Commercialization affects histotainment products in a one-sided direction that does not conform to the principles of public history or history didactics .

Examples

Examples of historical novels

→ Wikipedia article Historical novel

Examples of period films

→ Wikipedia article, list

Examples of off-road history adventures and history trails

Examples of museums with pronounced histotainment concepts

Examples of computer games

See also

literature

  • Daniel Giere: Computer games - media education - historical learning. On the representation and reception of history in digital games. Wochenschau Verlag, Frankfurt / M. 2019. ISBN 978-3-73-440825-0
  • Peter Gautschi : "Histotainment" on the tablet PC and in the Bourbaki Museum. In: Joanna Wojdon (ed.): E-teaching History. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne 2016, ISBN 978-1443885843 , pp. 38-49.
  • Marko Demantowsky and Christoph Pallaske (eds.): Learning history in digital change. Munich 2015, ISBN 978-3-486-76136-8 (paperback), ISBN 978-3-486-85866-2 (PDF), ISBN 978-3-11-039904-2 . can be downloaded from the publishing platform
  • Daniel Appel (ed.): World | War | Shooter. Computer games as realistic memory aids? Bolzenburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-86488-010-0 ,
  • Christian Heger: Contemporary history on television. An example analysis of the ZDF documentary 'The Wild Seventies' . In: Ders .: In the shadow realm of fictions: Studies on the fantastic history of motifs and the inhospitable (media) modernity. AVM, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-86306-636-9 , pp. 192-203.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ on the origin of the term: https://lyonelkaufmann.ch/histoire/2016/11/15/etre-historienne-a-lere-de-lhistotainment/
  2. ↑ see also the Wikipedia article on Living History
  3. ↑ see also the Wikipedia article on gamification ; Peter Gautschi : Gamification as a Miracle Cure for Public History? . In: Public History Weekly 6 (2018) ; Monika Fenn : A war game with a heart? Computer games for the First World War. In: Public History Weekly 2 (2014) .