Public History

Within the field of Public and Digital History, the course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the main theoretical, methodological, and applied approaches of the discipline, exploring the relationship between historical research, the construction of narratives about the past, and their circulation within the public sphere. Particular attention will be devoted to the public uses of history, cultural heritage interpretation and enhancement, participatory practices, traditional and digital media, and the various ways in which historical knowledge is produced, communicated, and negotiated in contemporary society.
A specific section of the course will be devoted to Game History/Public History and Gaming, understood as fields of study and practice that examine the role of games in the representation, interpretation, and communication of the past. Through the analysis of video games, board games, role-playing games, and other forms of game-based mediation, students will be introduced to the opportunities and limitations of gaming as a tool for historical learning, public engagement, and the construction of narratives about the past.

By the end of the course, students will have acquired a critical understanding of the main theoretical and methodological approaches to Public History and Digital History, with particular attention to the relationship between historical research, the use of sources, the construction of historical narratives, and the communication of the past in the public sphere. Students will be able to critically analyse different forms of representation of the past in the media, cultural institutions, and digital environments, and to apply the methods of historical research to projects involving public engagement, cultural heritage interpretation and enhancement, and institutional communication. Students will also acquire a basic knowledge of Game History/Public History and Gaming, understanding the role of analog and digital games in the representation, interpretation, and communication of the past.