Fact or Fiction?
"If nature abhors a vacuum, historiography loves a void because it can be filled with any number of plausible accounts” – Deanne Williams
One of the most multilayered disciplines in epistemology is studying or forming a record of the past. During our early schooling years, history was often seen as a subject that required memorizing a mere collection of facts. Yet, history is not just a collection of facts; it is an art of interpretation. The Taif Agreement called for the creation of a scholarly national history book for Lebanon. Most history books used at schools today are cut off at 1946, only two years after Lebanese independence. Unsurprisingly, the creation of a national history tome has yet to materialize. The conflicting political factions in Lebanon cannot seem to agree on a unitary account of the bloody civil wars and regional conflicts that characterized the latter half of the 20th century: Who is to blame and who is the martyr?
This sort of dispute is nothing new to the study of history. It is actually an issue of historiography, or the writing of history. The Lebanese minister of education, Elias Abou Saab, has repudiated the lack of initiative on the creation of the text and is intent on finishing the job. His ultimate goal is to create one history textbook and curriculum that is “agreed upon by all parties.” Indeed, this is a very difficult task to deliver, given the hostility of domestic politics at present.
It is almost impossible to think that anyone can agree on one account in history. If such a schoolbook will be created, it should be a multifaceted text. Multiple sources and multiple accounts are a must in understanding how events developed and how they justify the present. Students must realize that history is an interpretation not a collection of facts. Each faction should have the right to deliver their own account of the past and the students should have the right to interpret and choose which account best suits their reasoning. A recently created project “Badna Naaref” has taken on a very courageous task in helping lost youth understand the tragedies of Lebanon’s past. The project asks fifteen year old children to ask older relatives to account for their personal experiences of the past. However, many relatives were reluctant to discuss their past experiences. Ironically, this is the precise initiative we need from our older generations; we need them to open up about the past so we can understand our present. Perfecting the study of history in Lebanon is crucial for the sustainability of our youth. If Lebanese youth continue to be lost in interpreting the record of the past, they will lack the tools required for building the future.
Although the Taif Agreement calls for a “unified” tome on national history, it may be an incorrect approach to resolving the issues on historical teaching in Lebanon. We should not strive to create a unified account; we should appreciate the different interpretations that are available to us. Perhaps, this attitude may better help the ministry of education in resolving the creation of such a script.
N.C
"If nature abhors a vacuum, historiography loves a void because it can be filled with any number of plausible accounts” – Deanne Williams
One of the most multilayered disciplines in epistemology is studying or forming a record of the past. During our early schooling years, history was often seen as a subject that required memorizing a mere collection of facts. Yet, history is not just a collection of facts; it is an art of interpretation. The Taif Agreement called for the creation of a scholarly national history book for Lebanon. Most history books used at schools today are cut off at 1946, only two years after Lebanese independence. Unsurprisingly, the creation of a national history tome has yet to materialize. The conflicting political factions in Lebanon cannot seem to agree on a unitary account of the bloody civil wars and regional conflicts that characterized the latter half of the 20th century: Who is to blame and who is the martyr?
This sort of dispute is nothing new to the study of history. It is actually an issue of historiography, or the writing of history. The Lebanese minister of education, Elias Abou Saab, has repudiated the lack of initiative on the creation of the text and is intent on finishing the job. His ultimate goal is to create one history textbook and curriculum that is “agreed upon by all parties.” Indeed, this is a very difficult task to deliver, given the hostility of domestic politics at present.
It is almost impossible to think that anyone can agree on one account in history. If such a schoolbook will be created, it should be a multifaceted text. Multiple sources and multiple accounts are a must in understanding how events developed and how they justify the present. Students must realize that history is an interpretation not a collection of facts. Each faction should have the right to deliver their own account of the past and the students should have the right to interpret and choose which account best suits their reasoning. A recently created project “Badna Naaref” has taken on a very courageous task in helping lost youth understand the tragedies of Lebanon’s past. The project asks fifteen year old children to ask older relatives to account for their personal experiences of the past. However, many relatives were reluctant to discuss their past experiences. Ironically, this is the precise initiative we need from our older generations; we need them to open up about the past so we can understand our present. Perfecting the study of history in Lebanon is crucial for the sustainability of our youth. If Lebanese youth continue to be lost in interpreting the record of the past, they will lack the tools required for building the future.
Although the Taif Agreement calls for a “unified” tome on national history, it may be an incorrect approach to resolving the issues on historical teaching in Lebanon. We should not strive to create a unified account; we should appreciate the different interpretations that are available to us. Perhaps, this attitude may better help the ministry of education in resolving the creation of such a script.
N.C