Slavka Otcenasova

Oral history je dôležitá výskumná metóda a je v kurze profesionálneho historického bádania už viac ako pol storočia. Prechod od analyzovania dôležitých politických historických udalostí a písania o dejinách veľkých mužov ku výskumu obyčajných ľudí a ich vlastného prežívania minulosti a osobného vnímania dejín – zapríčinený rozsiahlymi spoločenskými zmenami v šesťdesiatych rokoch dvadsiateho storočia, ako aj postupným vývojom v samotnej historiografii – učinil z metódy oral history pomerne populárny, no doposiaľ relatívne kontroverzne vnímaný spôsob bádania o dejinách. Hoci ústne podávanie informácií o vlastnej minulosti je pravdepodobne také staré ako ľudstvo samotné, až v druhej polovici dvadsiateho storočia – aj vďaka výdobytkom techniky, ktoré výskumníkom umožnili bežne využívať nahrávacie zariadenia a archivovať získaný materiál – dochádza k postupnej inštitucionalizácii tohto výskumného prístupu v historickej vede. Štúdium ľudských skúseností z druhej svetovej vojny a rozsiahlych a ťaživých spoločenských problémov, ktoré ju sprevádzali, vo veľkej miere ovplyvnili vývoj metódy oral history. Dnes je oral history dobre známa a využívaná v rôznych odvetviach spoločenských a humanitných vied na celom svet a rozvíjajú ju pracovníci mnohých inštitúcií, pričom niektorí z nich rozpoznali aj význam oral history vo vyučovaní na základných a stredných školách a začali sa venovať vývoju vzdelávacích materiálov a metodík oral history pre dejepisné vyučovanie. Tento učebný text je určený pre študentov histórie, ktorí majú záujem bližšie sa oboznámiť s metódou oral history v praxi prostredníctvom vlastných oral history projektov. Inšpiráciou ku jeho zostaveniu bol kurz oral history, ktorý niekoľko rokov vediem pre študentov na Katedre histórie na Filozofickej fakulte Univerzity Pavla Šafárika v Košiciach. V práci som sa snažila venovať sa najčastejším problémom, s ktorými sa moji študenti pri svojich vlastných oral history projektoch stretávajú. Obsah sa v prevažnej miere zameriava na vysvetlenie techník a postupov oral historického výskumu všeobecne prijímaných akademickou komunitou. Posledná kapitola sa sústreďuje na možnosti využitia oral history projektov vo vyučovaní dejepisu na základných a stredných školách, keďže táto práca sa snaží osloviť aj (budúcich) učiteľov dejepisu.

Cieľom tejto práce je poukázať na spôsoby vytvárania kolektívnej identity prostredníctvom národných príbehov v učebniciach dejepisu, z ktorých sa učili študenti na slovenských školách od roku 1918 do roku 1989. Snaží sa upozorniť na premenlivosť historických naratívov prezentovaných v učebniciach dejepisu a na ich závislosť od momentálnej spoločensko-politickej situácie.

Sústreďuje sa na to, ako učebnice dejepisu vytvárajú a charakterizujú skupinu „my“ a skupinu „oni“ projektované anachronicky do minulosti. Pod skupinou „my“ sa v práci vo všeobecnosti rozumie koncepcia slovenského (prípadne československého) národa a pod skupinou „oni“ susedné národy. Tento proces je vnímaný v rámci dobových spoločensko-politických a historiografických kontextov a ich premien.

Based on a diachronic case study of history textbooks used in Slovak primary and secondary schools since 1918, this article discusses the roles biographies of historical heroes can play in school education. The case study analyses history textbook narratives about the medieval ruler Svätopluk published during three different political regimes, tracing their heritage up to present-day history textbooks. The text argues that the presentation of Svätopluk’s qualities, talents and achievements has been used not only in depicting him as a representative of the community, and as a desired prototype of a good citizen, but also in the formation of negative stereotypes about the representatives of the Other. This excluded significant segments of pupils of certain national minorities from the mainstream narrative and labeled them as enemies. An examination of the images of Svätopluk in history textbooks confirmed that these were politically motivated and influenced by current ideologies. Howe...

This article seeks to explore the ways of interpreting the historical role of Germans and Hungarians in history textbooks used in primary and secondary schools in Slovakia in the interwar period, from 1918 until 1939. Historical narratives presented in school history textbooks contribute, alongside the family, media and public life, and rituals, to forming the way young people perceive the world around them. They are also one of the main tools for the social production of stereotypes of the Other. Fearing the Other is widespread in present-day Slovakia, and although the reason for this situation has been ascribed to the recent economic and current refugee crises, this paper argues that negative responses to the Other are also partially a by-product of the ethnocentric and etatist character of history education. This approach has its roots in nineteenth century historiography, reflecting the rise of nationalism and nation-building movements that characterized the contemporary social ...

This article seeks to explore the ways of interpreting the historical role of Germans and Hungarians in history textbooks used in primary and secondary schools in Slovakia in the interwar period, from 1918 until 1939. Historical narratives presented in school history textbooks contribute, alongside the family, media and public life, and rituals, to forming the way young people perceive the world around them. They are also one of the main tools for the social production of stereotypes of the Other. Fearing the Other is widespread in present-day Slovakia, and although the reason for this situation has been ascribed to the recent economic and current refugee crises, this paper argues that negative responses to the Other are also partially a by-product of the ethnocentric and etatist character of history education. This approach has its roots in nineteenth century historiography, reflecting the rise of nationalism and nation-building movements that characterized the contemporary social and political context. At that time, the purpose of national historiographies was to defend the historical right of each nation to establish and maintain its own state. Historians emphasized the "golden age of the nation" to prove the historical excellence and exclusiveness of the nation and concurrently identified enemies (the Other), who were often described as an obstacle in the development of one's own nation. This perspective in history education has been present in official schooling until the present, surviving in different social and geopolitical conditions. The tense diplomatic relations Czechoslovakia had with Germany and Hungary after the end of WWI and the Paris Peace Conference and the fact that the two nations represented the most significant ethnic minorities within the borders of Czechoslovakia meant that they also became the most notable Other in historical narratives produced by Czech and Slovak historiographies of that time. The dissolution of Austria-Hungary, the establishment of Czechoslovakia, and the reconfiguration of power and ethnic relations in the newly formed state affected different levels of public life, including the educational system. Schooling had to be reorganized so that it would fit the ideological needs of the new state. A new national master narrative had to be adopted for use in the primary and secondary history education, reinforcing the Czechoslovak aspect and reinterpreting the German and Hungarian influences on the national past. The presented research is based on the study of stereotypes – generally shared impressions, images, or thoughts existing within certain groups of people about the character of a particular group of people and their representations. Stereotypes are common social phenomena; they help us in orienting ourselves in the society in which we live, and they save our time and energy when trying to establish a mental map of the world around us. In times of conflict, however, stereotyping and labeling the Other can become especially prevalent and harmful. Stereotypes presented in textbooks are examined as politically motivated efforts to present one's nation as the exceptional one, as is discussed by social identity approach focusing on the genesis of conflict between social groups. Realistic conflict theory, which analyzes intergroup rivalry, will help in explaining stereotypes in textbooks as the outcomes of the competition between two nations. The process of creating negative stereotypes about the other nation in textbooks will be viewed in the context of periods of economic or social instability, which relates to scapegoat theory providing an explanation for the correlation between times of relative social or economic despair and prejudice towards outgroups. The article seeks to prove that the motivations behind state-produced prejudices against the members of other nations are driven by the need to present one's own group (the nation) superior to the Other, which has been a reaction to the competition between the two groups, economic frustration or social crises. The article employs