An Education in History and Memory : The Civil War and Historical Consciousness

This book examines the role of education as a space where young people can confront difficult histories that challenge dominant social narratives, exploring the relationship between historical memory, sensemaking, and civic judgment.

This book examines relationship between memory and history in the highly contested historical culture surrounding the U.S. Civil War, offering timely insights for navigating contemporary debates over historical narratives. Written for history educators and public historians, this volume combines theory, philosophy, and empirical studies to explore how people draw on the past to understand the present. Addressing profound contemporary challenges—from culture-war battles over K-12 history curricula to struggles over Confederate monuments in Richmond, Virginia—it explores the impact of nationalism on historical consciousness and the complicated nature of U.S. Civil War memory in U.S. culture. The book argues that to maintain a robust democratic society, history educators must attend to both collective memory and academic history in their work. This means expanding their roles to include acting as facilitators of respectful dialogues that challenge assumptions and encourage reflection. Drawing from a wide range of scholarship across the humanities, education, and social sciences, this book will appeal to scholars and researchers working across history education, memory studies, and public history.