Historical consciousness of time and its societal uses

Abstract

Taking as a point of departure that consciousness of time is pivotal to historical consciousness, this paper explores intuitive temporal experiences as opposed to the less intuitive temporal experience connected with historical consciousness. The intuitive daily/cyclic, social and mythical temporal awareness is being opposed to historical consciousness of time, defined in six central concepts: chronology, anachronism, historical distance, contingency, evidence and narration. The connection between the rise of a historical consciousness of time and the development of democracy is being discussed. Based on research in history education, the counterintuitive nature of each of the six concepts of historical consciousness of time is shown, resulting in the conclusion that the ways of thinking connected to the six concepts-counter-intuitive as they are, and therefore not likely to develop spontaneously in people-should be the object of history teaching. Hypothetically, the probable yields of each of the concepts for the support and upkeep of free democratic societies are discussed. The central thesis explored in this paper is: there is a consciousness of time which does not originate spontaneously and which-being an essential part of thinking and reasoning in democratic societies-should be fostered actively in history lessons.

The Levels of Historical Awareness and Treatment of Controversial Issues in Digital Environments: A Case Study of Future Spanish Secondary School Teachers

“…Temporal awareness is an essential axis for overcoming closed historical narratives and building open societies when full democracy is marginal (4.5%). These data are consistent with the data collected in this study (Wilschut, 2019). Angier (2017) and Barca (2013) conclude that the analyed populations construct contemporary national narratives that are descriptive and linear deterministic.…”

“…There are clear overlaps between levels of historical consciousness and moral consciousness (Zanazanian, 2019). This idea also underlies Wilschut's (2019) research on the need to connect historical and democratic consciousness over time in social science education. In this study, he argues for a broad intercultural understanding of historical consciousness that overcomes Western/colonial dichotomous views and reaches out to the intelligibility of time for all people.…”

The concept of historical time in early childhood education: theoretical, methodological approaches and practice

“…Researchers in the recent literature claim that the analysis of the concept of historical time, and its study regarding history teaching, can lay the foundation for a field of research in historical education inside which theoretical approaches and educational applications are connected to historical thinking and consciousness (Wilschut, 2010(Wilschut, , 2012(Wilschut, , 2019. Historical consciousness is perceived as the certainty people have regarding the distance between present and past, and the comprehension of the historicity of social phenomena, situations and people which are assessed as important to know and remember (Seixas, 2017a).…”

Concepciones de docentes en formación suecos y españoles sobre la desigualdad de género en perspectiva temporal

“…Pero la ausencia del tratamiento de estas realidades a la hora de plantear los contenidos de historia anula la posibilidad de tener información de la lucha y reacción contra una realidad cultural, y los ejemplos de vidas anteriores capaces de inspirar a generaciones posteriores. Wilschut (2019) afirma que la enseñanza de la agencia histórica es ineludible para una enseñanza para la democracia, con lo que supone de aceptación de los valores de respeto, empatía y compromiso que conlleva. Trabajar la idea de agencia histórica permite a los estudiantes desarrollar el sentido de que la acción es posible, y que ejerciéndola se puede cambiar el devenir de los hechos.…”