MA Thesis:

[bowena]

Hi All,

I am a graduate student at Georgetown University who is writing a Master's thesis on Civil War reenacting. Several reenactors I've spoken with suggested that I reach out to this forum for help with my project. I have a survey online (click here to participate) and would really appreciate your opinions.

My study examines the tensions between "vernacular" and "academic" history. I have pasted a brief excerpt from my thesis proposal below and am happy to answer any further questions you all may have about the project, survey, or research methodology. You may contact me via private message, e-mail, or phone (see below). Also, this project has been approved by Georgetown's IRB board (number 2008-453 via IRB "C" for Social Sciences).

Thanks!

Excerpt from proposal:

The theoretical portion of this project will draw heavily on the literature surrounding cultural memory. In addition, scholarly accounts of reenactments and popular literature, like Tony Horowitz’s Confederates in the Attic and newspaper articles on reenactments, will be included to establish a more complete picture of the reenacting community.

Cullen’s The Civil War in Popular Culture argues that the history of memory is the study of the narratives of history in everyday use. While Civil War reenactors’ version of history is not explicitly present in everyday life, the community of reenactors continues to grow and is dedicated to learning more about the war. Studies of collective memory typically focus on cultural artifacts like Hollywood films, popular novels, or television shows. While these certainly play an important part in the initial recruitment and research of many reenactors, the events themselves create another important and widespread narrative of the American past. I suspect that any contemporary study of the Civil War memory in American life must account of the narratives of the Civil War that circulate among the reenacting community, especially because many reenactors expressly tie their involvement in the hobby to a desire to teach the “true history” of the Civil War to audiences.

Reenactors form a critical component of the pop culture narratives surrounding the war; they frequently serve as extras in films. At these events talk is often of the Civil War with each reenactor sharing his or her expertise, debating on which side a general folded his hat, or pouring over old photographs in books. The knowledge created here, outside the realm of academic history and only tangentially related to popular culture, has an impact on those popular cultural artifacts that call on their expertise and may attract more people to the hobby.

[markj]

Re: MA Thesis:

Hi Ashley,

I presume you've already consulted this?

Borrowed time: Reenacting the American Civil War in Indiana
by Cash, John, Ph.D., Indiana University, 2003, 390 pages; AAT 3122673

If you haven't, and can't otherwise obtain it through ProQuest Information & Learning, please contact me privately.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger
markj@purdue.edu

[Cpl.Sharp]

Re: MA Thesis:

That is actually very interesting Ashley. It would be kinda cool to see what you come up with when its all said and done. The survey was intriguing .

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: MA Thesis:

Hallo!

"The knowledge created here, outside the realm of academic history and only tangentially related to popular culture, has an impact on those popular cultural artifacts that call on their expertise and may attract more people to the hobby."

An interesting thesis project.

IMHO, while reading an excerpt is fraught with the danger of misinterpreting things...

"Reenacting" has long been factionalized over a central question as to who has the right to claim ownership of history and on achieving authenticty or accuracy in presenting or representing war.
This is often reflected in the conflicts between the larger social and cultural conventions of what "institutions" are sanctioned in mainstream everyday life to who has the legitmate "right" to interpret history and in what ways. Typically, that falls to academics, authors, and Hollywood/TV.
Just as "history" is contested in the public sphere, it is also contested in the various segments and communities within "reenacting" and "living history" as illustrated by the F/M/C/P/H/A Paradigm.

IMHO, statements like "The knowledge created here, outside the realm of academic history" might doom the survey by looking at a slice or segment of the CW Community and inferring the whole. And while it is interesting to look at a portion of CW reenacting, one needs to guard against the implication "outside the realm of academic history" can have on "the tensions between 'vernacular' and "academic" history."

Meaning, both professional and amateur, as well as educated and undereducated folks do perform research and studies into the history, social history, and material culture that does produce factual, "academic," and archeological/historical archeological research, documentation, and information.
Just as there are folks who do not because that is not part of their Mental Pictures of what they see themsleves doing and where they see themselves fitting in as they define and practice their hobbies, interests, and applications.

In brief and to over-generalize... "Reenactors" have earned a poor reputation in Academia, but have also been painted with too broad a brush that tars all with sillyness, buffoonery, and the misrepresentation and distortion of "true history" by academics, authors, Hollywood/TV, and the broadcast and print media. And outside of those "officially sanctioned" by society to interpret, present, and portray "history."

"My study examines the tensions between "vernacular" and "academic" history."

It can be... interesting.

Curt

[Indianabugles]

"I suspect that any contemporary study of the Civil War memory in American life must account of the narratives of the Civil War that circulate among the reenacting community, especially because many reenactors expressly tie their involvement in the hobby to a desire to teach the “true history” of the Civil War to audiences."

Sadly this is sometimes any History, even just a general one, having been asked "Which South American country started the war, Brazil?" I am from the UK and am frequently dismayed at the level of pubic ignorance to History, any History. Pop History? No, we are often the only history lesson, of that period, that bears any semblance of reality, well certainly closer than Mr Wayne or Eastwood. I would certainly rather see a member of the pubic go away with a highly biased North or South View, agree or dsagree, but some Re-enactors researched perception of the "Real History" than the hollywood perception or blank sheet they walked in with.

IMHO
I would also agree that personal, political bias and nationality effect the spin we put on our demonstratons and narrations and I am as guilty, even when just tellng a story, and trying not to. Perhaps this is healthy though. History from a page versus two possibly conflcting, reasearched, and equally correct accounts given by two re-enactors in a rainy field. I digress, back to point.

It is worth noting that a perception of "the true" will depend on a number of factors and the fact that this inter re-eactor debate continues in perpetuam with each new discovery, however minute changing everything about it with a potential butterfly effect keeps this from beng locked into a sterile, horribly PC, closed history. History should be open to question.
It is also worth noting that research is a big, wide word. I would include Field testing. I wonder how many accademics have commented on the practicabilty of civil war equipment without ever having been in it, or appraised the effectivness of weapons while never having fired one at all, or even been around them.
Been there, tore it, broke it, got wet, burnt fingers, learnt the lessons just as they did, and proably started from, and deviated from the same "accademic" instructions too.

Maybe not accademia but certainly as valuable.
Re-enactors take note of accadmeia, thats what I started with. Perhaps they should see us more as a resorce and perhaps what we learn is not outside academia but a natural extension, practical application and continuation of it and the questions raised by it.

[North_State_Rambler]

Re: MA Thesis:

I said something like that once (that academic and serious non-academic historians should work together-- not all reenactors count as serious), and am getting booted out of academia for my troubles.

[Cpl.Sharp]

Re: MA Thesis:

I can honestly say that while I am an ardent conservative and ardent believer in States Rights and thus completely on the side of the South, I have never let those feelings out in any demonstration or talk I have ever done as a reenactor.

The main reason for this is that I don't believe it is really the job of the reenactor to be a "historian" in the academic sense. That is not to say that we do not, or should not know as much as possible about the War. We should, and most of us do. It is saying however that when we put on our uniforms and equipment and do whatever it is that we do, we are simply giving life to a moment and place out of another time. We are illustrators not interpreters. We should not be trying to push our opinion or perspective of history on the general public.

We are out there to show them how difficult it is to load and fire an aimed shot out of a musket three times in a minute, or explain surgical procedures of the war, or artillery tactics,engineering or bugle and drum calls. Not pursuade them to one idea or another,not to take sides and ask them to do the same. That is not the proper job of a reenactor.

So maybe this has nothing to do with what we are talking about. I don't know, I just felt like saying it. Reenactors shouldn't be judged by the same standard as a School Teacher or Professor. Its like trying to judge and compare between the carpenter who builds a piece of fine furniture and the guy down the line who applies the stain and varnish to the piece.

Reenactors should just stick to reenacting regardless of what our knowledge level or education level happens to be. Focus on the hows and whens and leave the whys for the classroom. Teachers/Historians and reenactors need each other, and compliment each other. I think maybe its when we try to do each others job that problems and misunderstandings arise.

And I respectfully disagree with the gentleman who said in the last post that "history should be open to question". Perhaps on a general basis yes, but historical fact should never be open to question. Maybe sometimes we mistake our individual perceptions as something akin to historical fact, but our perceptions may not always align with fact. What we should always keep open to question is our own perceptions of it all.

And I think this forum is diverse enough that any survey, provided everyone completes it, would be a fairly accurate indicator of the majority of civil war reenactors today.

[Indianabugles]

Re: MA Thesis:

History questioned on a general basis. Agreed. Perhaps it was I not being clear enough there and I accept the amendment from Col Sharp. Facts of what occured, timescales etc should not be obscured, popular mythed or changed
As for where the job of a reenactor ends, are interpreters, bridge characters, first person portrayals of peroiodly influenced or biased characters not within the remit? I sometimes think Inerpreters, narrators or storytellers are outside the general one and am more and more inclined to agree that they blur the line a little.
I do agree though that we should not be teachers per se but illustrators of what is presumably already known, hopefully, to a degree by ones audience. My point there is not that we should be teachers but that sometmes it is unavoidable due to the blank canvas nature of some of our audience.
As for when doing narrations/stortellings and adding bias, I try very hard not to do so and the fact I notice and correct myself doing it is a self criticism and an attempt to improve and not do so, not saying I take it as part of and an inevitablity.
It is also worth noting that where public do not know basic histoy this is often not the fault of teachers but limits on curriculums, this may only apply to the UK.

My Keyboard is knacked, please excuse the odd missing letter.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: MA Thesis:

Hallo!

IMHO...

The so-called blurring of the "lines" occurs when the interpretation, presentation, or portrayal goes beyond what the Period man (or woman) would have known about politics, social issues, current events, daily life, and what was going on outside of their immediate area or circles of acquaintances, etc.
And we inject anachronistic dimensions such as the benefit of "history," modern education, and "pop culture" SINCE say, 1865.

One such controversial illustration is how "Lost Cause" ideologies pervade some CW interpretations, presentations, portrayals, and even history.

"It is also worth noting that where public do not know basic histoy this is often not the fault of teachers but limits on curriculums, this may only apply to the UK."

No it doesn't.

In this state, as a result of No Child Left Behind and the Ohio Graduation Test (testings)- my local high school no longer requires "American History" as it is last "tested for" as part of the OGT requirement for graduation in the
10th Grade. So there is no "value" or defense of expense in teaching it after the 9th grade. (Sorry I do not remember my British Forms 1-6 as I should).
Main courses have been revised to be remedial to get the students who failed some or all parts of the OGT to pass them by retaking the test so they can graduate (12th grade) and receive a diploma.
But kids need something more than Study Halls to fill up a day, so for the time being "History" is available as a few electives. "American History" here now STARTS in 1865.

Curt

[bowena]

Re: MA Thesis:

Hi All,

Thanks again for all your help with my MA thesis. I depended very, very much on the generosity of the re-enacting community. My thesis is now available online. You can download the PDF by clicking here or by visiting Lulu.com and purchasing a printed version.

I'm sorry I can't mail one everyone who would like a hard copy of my thesis. Unfortunately, because it is over 140 pages printing and mailing it would become prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, Lulu allows me to make it easy for you to pay for the printing and shipping. I've set the price at what it would cost for me to print it at school-- I hope you will understand.

I look forward to reading/hearing your thoughts. Thanks again!

Ashley E. Bowen, M.A.
Communication, Culture, & Technology
Georgetown University, 2009

https://www.aebowen.com

aeb63@georgetown.edu

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: MA Thesis:

Hallo!

Judging by the letters after your name, I see that it was accepted.

;) :)

Congratulations!

I have started reading it, and am favorably impressed thus far.

CHS
Former socio-psychologist and professor of Psycho-sociology Mess