Interpreting the Game of History: Synthesis and Shortcomings Between Reenactment, Living History, and Roleplaying

dc.contributor.advisorNajjar, Michael
dc.contributor.authorPointer, Mica
dc.date.accessioned2021-09-13T18:42:56Z
dc.date.available2021-09-13T18:42:56Z
dc.date.issued2021-09-13
dc.description.abstractCivil War reenactors claim to be educational through the nature of their bringing the past to life. Their claims place them among heritage and cultural interpreters in how they connect the past with the audience before them. However, the practice of Civil War reenacting has come under scrutiny in recent years for propagating a narrow view of history informed predominantly by nostalgic ideas of a Confederate lost-cause narrative. Through personal experience as a reenactor and living history interpreter, together with in-depth research of these practices, I propose that Civil War reenacting may at times include interpretive practices, however, its primary function as a hobbyist’s pastime places it in the realm of Live Action Roleplaying (LARPing) rather than heritage interpretation. From this, Civil War reenactments are largely based on the relationship between historically inspired personas and the actors’ own personalities rather than creating an interpretive experience for the public audience. It is the confusion between these two tendencies that has resulted in the fields of American Civil War reenactments becoming breeding grounds where ideologically narrow views of history and national identity may be perpetuated.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/26677
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Oregon
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved.
dc.subjectinterpretationen_US
dc.subjectliving historyen_US
dc.subjectliving history interpretationen_US
dc.subjectmuseum theatreen_US
dc.subjectreenactingen_US
dc.subjectroleplayingen_US
dc.titleInterpreting the Game of History: Synthesis and Shortcomings Between Reenactment, Living History, and Roleplaying
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
thesis.degree.disciplineDepartment of Theater Arts
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Oregon
thesis.degree.levelmasters
thesis.degree.nameM.A.

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