Title: Problems of history
Headings: Problems of history
Problems of history
Generalisation
Conspiracy theories
Myths and mythology
Nationalism
Nostalgia
‘The noble savage’
Eurocentrism
‘Top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’?
The militarisation of history

Content: Historians and history students must be wary of these myths. Just because a story is widely accepted as fact does not make it so. Nationalism
Nationalism is a sentimental attachment and unquestioning loyalty to one’s own country. Sometimes this attachment becomes so strong that the actions of one’s nation are accepted, justified and supported, whether or not they are right. Nationalists also place the needs and interest of their nation above those of other countries (an attitude encapsulated in a quote attributed to 19th century US politician Carl Schurz: “ My country, right or wrong”). History students should be familiar with nationalism, which has fuelled unrest, international tension and war for centuries. But nationalism has also infected and distorted both academic history and popular conceptions of the past. Many individuals – and sadly some historians – find it difficult to accept or engage with criticism of their own country. Needless to say, this can lead to an imbalanced view of the past.